Nyeri's Hillside Endarasha Academy to transition to full day school following tragic fire

Hillside Endarasha Academy, the Nyeri-based school where 21 boys tragically lost their lives in a dormitory fire on September 5, will no longer offer boarding facilities, its owners revealed in court on Friday.

The school will transition to a mixed-day school starting next term, according to lawyer Robert Kimunya who represented the academy's owners in court.

"My client is no longer interested in boarding facilities. We have applied for and received approval from the county education board to operate as a mixed-day school," Kimunya said during the court session.

The fire that claimed the lives of the boys in the dormitory sparked widespread outrage and concern over safety standards at the school.

Following the tragedy, the school faced criticism for reopening on October 9, 2024, with claims that it had not fully implemented adequate safety measures to protect students.

This led to a legal case filed by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and Elimu Bora Working Group, alongside activist David Karani, who are questioning the Ministry of Education and the school's management over their handling of the situation.

Safety measures

During the court proceedings, lawyer Mumbi Kiarie, representing the Nyeri County Director of Education, the County Education Board, the Ministry of Education, and the Attorney General, confirmed that the school had received approval to continue operations as a day school.

Kiarie also presented a report from the county’s director of education, which outlined the renovations made to the school's boarding facilities to comply with Ministry of Education guidelines.

The report highlighted improvements to the school's overcrowded dormitory, which previously housed 161 boys in a wooden structure.

Overcrowded dorms

The dormitories were reported to have been overcrowded with wooden beds before the fire erupted.

The county's assessment found that the dormitory facilities had been adjusted to comply with safety standards, with a cap on the number of boarders.

The school was also required to construct additional dormitories if the number of boarders increased beyond the new limits.

However, lawyer Haggai Chimei, representing the NGOs, pointed out a critical gap in the report – it did not confirm whether defective electrical sockets in the classrooms had been addressed.

In response, Kimunya, the school's lawyer, denied the existence of any faulty electrical sockets in the classrooms.

Psychosocial support

In a bid to support the mental health of the students, the Ministry of Education has partnered with the Kenya Red Cross to offer regular psycho-social support sessions to all students at the school, beginning in the new year.

These sessions will be conducted at Mt Kenya Hospital, as confirmed by lawyer Mumbi Kiarie.

However, Judge Magare Kizito pointed out the importance of conducting these sessions on school grounds, as the tragedy occurred within the school's premises.

He ordered the county director of education and the chairperson of the school’s board of management to submit a detailed report on how these psychosocial support sessions will be implemented at the school before the next hearing.

The case will resume on February 4, 2024.