The Elimu Working Group has called for urgent nationwide reforms to strengthen school safety standards following the fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru county, which has claimed 16 students’ lives and left dozens injured.
In a statement issued after the incident, the education sector civil society coalition expressed condolences to the families, students, teachers and the wider community affected by the tragedy.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, loved ones, students, teachers, and the entire community affected by the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, which has so far claimed 16 students' lives and left dozens injured,” the group said.
The organisation said schools should remain safe environments for learning, growth and protection, adding that parents expect institutions and authorities to ensure adequate safety measures are in place before students are admitted.
The group noted that the latest incident comes after several other deadly school fires and disasters in Kenya over the years, including the Hillside Endarasha Academy tragedy in Nyeri, as well as incidents at St Kizito, Bombolulu Girls, Nyeri High School, Kyanguli Secondary School, Asumbi Girls and Moi Girls, Nairobi.
According to the statement, Kenya already has school safety requirements under the Ministry of Education’s Safety Standards Manual for Schools.
These include provisions for emergency exits, outward-opening doors, fire extinguishers, disaster preparedness plans, secure school grounds and regular safety inspections.
The Elimu Working Group called for full transparency regarding the circumstances surrounding the fire at Utumishi Girls Academy.
In addition, the group urged the government to strengthen and expand the Ministry of Education’s Quality Assurance and Standards teams to enable regular, independent and unannounced safety inspections in schools across the country.
The statement further called for an end to what it described as reactive inspections carried out only after tragedies occur, saying safety checks should instead be continuous and transparent.
Among the measures proposed was a nationwide review of all boarding schools to assess fire safety equipment, emergency exits, dormitory congestion, evacuation procedures, electrical safety and disaster response systems.
The group also urged immediate enforcement measures against institutions found to be in violation of mandatory safety requirements until corrective measures are implemented.
“Sending a child to school should never be a life-or-death choice,” the statement said. “Yet more Kenyan parents are afraid because school tragedies are becoming a worrying pattern instead of rare events.”
