Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top

Kenya

Matiang’i vows tough action over arson as 3 students charged

He was reacting to claims that his visits have prompted student unrest which he described as untrue and attributed the destructive behaviour to lack of accountability by students and parents alike.

“Next time you hear people complaining about my impromptu visits to schools, tell them that is how I get to know the challenges schools face. I would not have known that if I did not come here,” he stated while referring to an impromptu visit he had paid at Ngara Girls High School where there had a damaged perimeter wall.

He declared that he will continue with those visits despite criticism urging him to do otherwise.

“I want to tell you good people who here that when I met with Youth and Gender Cabinet Secretary Cecily Kariuki, Ii was so touched on how she took up the matter. She sent the National Youth Service here the same day when I saw her to do an assessment of this fence,” he stated.

He further reiterated that no public resources will be used to repair destroyed structures and urged school boards of affected schools to fund the repair works.

“People engage in destructive behaviour… we look the other way and look for resources, we repair those buildings, we don’t even arrest them, we do not charge them in court. Our levels of accountability has remained very low. Everyone must be held to account,” he stated.

READ: Matiang’i announces strict measures to curb arson in schools

There has been a spate of arson in schools across the country in recent weeks with the latest occurring in a dormitory at a school in Kisii County following Matiang’i’s visit to the institution.

The fire at Naikuro Secondary school in Bobasi constituency is reported to have started at around 5am Wednesday morning when students went on the rampage to protest the two-week term extension announced by the minister.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Five students in the mixed school were arrested on Monday after they were linked to five litres of petrol found in the school.

They were released on Tuesday and according to the administration, the arson took place Wednesday morning after police officers who were manning the school compound left.

Another case of arson occurred at Itierio Boys High School in Kisii where students burnt down seven dormitories.

Trouble started at Itierio after the students were allegedly denied a chance to watch the Portugal vs Croatia match in the Euro 2016 tournament.

Reports say the students started shouting after they were denied permission to watch the match immediately after the normal period allocated for entertainment lapsed.

About The Author

Pages: 1 2 3

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News