NAIROBI, Kenya May 29 – The government has dissolved the Board of Management of Utumishi Girls Academy for failing to enforce compliance with school safety regulations following yesterday’s dormitory fire that led to the death of 16 students.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba says preliminary findings exposed serious safety lapses at the Academy in the wake of the deadly dormitory fire.
“The school did not adhere to the safety requirements as stipulated in the school safety manual and the basic education regulations. In particular, there was congestion in the dormitory and one exit door was locked contrary to the prescribed safety requirements,” he said.
Ogamba says two teachers are being questioned after it emerged that they had been alerted by some learners about planned unrest but failed to take appropriate preventative action.
“The Teacher Service Commission has been appraised of these findings and is taking appropriate and immediate disciplinary action against the principal for failing to ensure compliance with the school safety manual and basic education regulations. And the teachers who failed to take action despite having been informed of the planned unrest will also be subjected to disciplinary proceedings by the Teachers Service Commission,” he said.
The Education CS further explained that 79 learners suffered injuries of varied degrees and seven of the injured learners are still in hospital undergoing treatment while the rest have been treated and discharged.
Seven were airlifted on Thursday from Gilgil and they are now being treated in Kenyatta National Hospital.
