The government has launched an urgent nationwide safety audit of all boarding schools following the deadly dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru, which has raised fresh concerns about student safety in learning institutions across the country.
Speaking during the Elimu Mashinani education programme in Wajir County on Sunday, May 31, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok announced that education officials had been directed to conduct comprehensive inspections of boarding schools over the next 10 days, beginning Tuesday, June 2.
Bitok said the exercise will focus on assessing the safety and welfare of learners in boarding institutions while verifying compliance with existing safety regulations and emergency preparedness requirements.
“We have directed our officers to carry out very thorough inspections in all boarding schools over the next 10 days to ascertain whether they are meeting the required safety standards and to provide appropriate recommendations,” said the PS.
The inspections come in the wake of the Utumishi Girls Academy tragedy, with the Ministry of Education seeking to strengthen safety measures and prevent similar incidents in schools across the country.