School principals and other education stakeholders meeting in Nakuru on Friday, December 3, discussed measures to mitigate fire incidents that rocked the learning institutions this year.
The principals proposed that the Ministry of Education implements a raft of measures including setting up fire stations in schools to put out the infernos on time.
They noted that properties worth millions of shillings are destroyed in the fires which have disrupted learning activities each year and left institutions counting unfathomable losses.
According to the school heads, the idea of having fire stations with trained firefighters in schools is not far fetched and will cushion parents from paying hefty bills incurred in rebuilding structures that have been razed down.
Security officers, who also attended the meeting, asked school boards and parents to coordinate and talk to the learners to ensure that their grievances are aired and addressed.
Further, the security agents - mainly police officers - noted that it will be crucial for schools to carry out background checks on the staff members they hire such as day and night guards to ensure that none has a criminal record or is capable of burning down schools.
Nakuru Police Commander County, Beatrice Kiraguri, asked Headteachers to be more vigilant and ensure they get copies of good conduct certificates from the people they employ to work in their respective schools to avoid criminal elements colluding with students to burn down schools.
The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for education, Fredrick Osewe, noted that there was a communication breakdown between teachers and learners and this had contributed greatly to the cases of indiscipline.
"Any time boys and girls go on strike and burn property, it means they are communicating and because they are communicating that way, it means communications has failed at some stage," noted Osewe.
"Teachers should build a good rapport with all students and create a conducive environment where learners can openly share their grievances and the school administration takes that into account and offer solutions."
The sentiments and proposals by the education stakeholders come in the backdrop of admission by Education Cabinet Secretary, George Magoha, on Thursday, November 18, that his Ministry was partially to blame for the recent school fires.
Responding to questions posed by nominated MP Wilson Sossion, Magoha listed the congested school calendar as among the causes of the school fires.
He explained that in a bid to recover the time lost during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry tried to adjust the school calendar. As a result, learners had to cover the curriculum within a shorter time frame.
