Hillside Endarasha Academy reopens as day school after fire tragedy

Parents at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri expressed optimism of a better academic year as the school re-opened for the first term on Tuesday, three months after a fire tragedy that claimed the lives of 21 learners.

The school resumed without its boarding section which was abandoned in its entirety following the devastating inferno. A wall has also been erected to seal off what used to be the dormitories for more than 300 pupils.

The school has now fully converted into a day school and is registered as such. The institution's new-look setup, including a change in its trademark colours, reflects concerted efforts to move past the fire tragedy.

Many parents cited the school’s stellar performance over the years as the major reason they opted to return their children to the facility.

“We expect a good performance from the learners. We’ve spoken to them and they’ve come to terms with the aftermath of the fire. It was an unfortunate incident but it happens in other schools,” Margaret Ndirangu, a parent, said.

“We’ve brought back our children because of the school’s past performances in national exams. The school will continue to excel alongside our children,” Samuel Gitonga, another parent, added.

With the school having received a clean bill of health from the Ministry of Education to continue operations, parents are optimistic that their children are set for an academic year that will be nothing short of spectacular.

“We have brought our children and many more are streaming in. I think they might even need to build more classes to accommodate them,” said Teresa Wamuyu, a parent.  

“The school’s owner has conformed to the government’s requirements. The school has changed; they’ve given it a facelift and we believe it can resume operations without any hitches,” added Ruth Ndirangu.