KUPPET blames Gov’t over Hillside Endarasha Academy fire tragedy

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has shifted blame to the government after the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire tragedy that claimed 17 lives and left 14 pupils nursing injuries.

KUPPET, in a press address led by Secretary General Akelo Misori on Friday, mourned the deceased pupils while calling for adherence to safety measures in schools.

Misori recalled a similar tragedy at Precious Talents Academy less than five years ago where eight pupils were killed and 64 others injured after a building collapsed, underscoring that safety measures proposed to the then Education Cabinet Secretary had not been implemented.

He thus accused the government, through the Ministry of Education, of ignoring calls to oversee compliance of policies under the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya, 2018.

“While we mourn, we appeal to the government to take serious measures to assure safety in our schools and prevent such painful events in future. Almost five years ago, the country faced a similar tragedy at Precious Talents Academy. KUPPET initiated a study to establish the level of compliance with school safety policies and recommend long-lasting solutions,” said Misori.

“The answer to these disasters is known. Schools must be made to comply with safety policies under the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya, 2018. This document contains guidelines on the safety of learners and all members of school communities.”

The union boss highlighted the safety criteria in the manual including building materials, classroom sizes, window sizes, ventilation, and a number of students per given space.

Among the measures proposed by KUPPET at the time to ensure the safety of students included a review and harmonisation of all policy instruments and guidelines relating to safety, security and disaster management in the education sector.

KUPPET had pushed for an increase of the budget on safety in schools and also proposed for the training on safety to target trainee teachers in colleges and those who have already been posted.

Despite coming up with the proposals and pushing for their implementation, KUPPET boss Misori says, “These findings, which supplemented the huge work on school safety conducted by the Directorate of Quality Assurance, were shared with the Cabinet Secretary for action.”

At the same time, the post primary teachers’ union Secretary General urged the country to “re-think the place of boarding schools in our education system.”

“School Safety is an integral and indispensable component of the teaching and learning process. Indeed, no meaningful teaching and learning can take place in an environment that is unsafe and insecure to learners, teachers and school communities. It is, therefore, important that educational stakeholders foster a safe and secure school environment,” he stated.