Unsafe boarding schools: State urges parents to move children ahead of reopening on January 6

The Ministry of Education has called on parents with children in 349 schools that were barred from hosting boarders to transfer them to other institutions before schools reopen next Tuesday.

This follows the findings of an audit conducted after the tragic fire that killed 21 learners at Hillside Endarasha Academy in August 2024, which raised alarm over the safety conditions in these schools.

The audit, which assessed nearly 3,000 schools nationwide, revealed that a significant number of boarding schools are grappling with safety and infrastructure challenges that endanger students' lives.

Among the findings were overcrowded dormitories, inadequate emergency exits, and poorly maintained sanitation facilities, all of which do not meet the safety standards set out in Kenya's Safety Standards Manual for Schools (2008).

Belio Kipsang, the Principal Secretary for Basic Education emphasised the seriousness of the situation.

Nationwide audit

"We told institutions that were not adequately prepared to run boarding to stop until such a time they are properly prepared," he said as reported by the Daily Nation, adding that each of the 349 affected schools had been provided with a report outlining what needed to be done to meet safety standards.

The audit assessed a total of 2,974 schools, including both public and private institutions. It found that congestion was widespread in boarding schools, with most dormitory beds spaced less than the recommended 1.2 meters apart.

In addition, the pathways between beds were narrower than the required two meters. Some schools had also failed to provide wardens for male students' dormitories, and in a few cases, matrons were assigned roles in male dormitories, which is against standard practice.

The government's directive is clear: parents of students in these 349 schools must find alternative institutions for their children.

PS Kipsang said that the Ministry of Education had already conducted re-inspections of the schools, and those that failed to meet safety standards would not be allowed to reopen for boarding.

"We are not worried really on what happens to those children," he said, referring to the two-month window that schools had to address safety concerns.

The inspection, which began in Nairobi and continued across the country, revealed that many schools were operating illegally as boarding institutions.

Some schools had not even registered as boarding schools, while others had invalid registration certificates.

Schools found in violation of these regulations have been ordered to reapply for registration.

Among the specific safety concerns highlighted in the audit were dormitories with windows that lacked grills, missing emergency exits, and doors that opened inwards.

Some schools had also failed to install essential firefighting equipment, while others had poorly maintained kitchen and dining areas without proper ventilation systems.

The audit also raised concerns about the lack of proper sanitation in many schools.

Most of the schools had inadequate and poorly maintained sanitation facilities, which did not meet the 2021 Registration Guidelines for Basic Education Institutions.

Additionally, a large number of schools did not provide treated drinking water for students.