349 schools have four weeks to comply with safety regulations or risk being expelled.
349 schools have four weeks to comply with safety regulations or risk being expelled.
Primary schools whose boarding facilities were designated for closure have been given four weeks to comply by the Ministry of Education.
Parents are uncertain as a result of the decision and will need to look into other options before classes resume on January 6.
The 348 schools have until next month to meet safety and compliance criteria, according to a statement released yesterday by the Kenya Private Schools Association.
Charles Ochome, the chairman, stated, “We have had conversations with the Ministry of Education and the institutions, and they are resolving the gaps found during the audit. They will be reassessed before January for compliance.”
Speaking yesterday at the conclusion of a two-day seminar for the Kenya Primary School Heads Association at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Ochome stated that noncompliant institutions will have to function as day schools.
The lack of fire extinguishers and insufficient entry and departure locations were two of the shortcomings found.
However, stating that no inspection was done before the closure order, the institutions have argued that they were unfairly singled out.
Citing flagrant infractions of safety laws, the ministry ordered the boarding establishments to close on November 27.
After an evaluation in September and October, Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang declared that the schools did not meet the Safety Standards for Basic Education Institutions.
The September dormitory fire at Nyeri County’s Hill Side Endarasha Academy, which resulted in 21 fatalities, serious injuries, and property damage, served as the impetus for the review.
Since it became apparent that certain schools do not follow the established norms and standards, the incident brought attention to the careless way in which school safety regulations are being implemented.
Nairobi had the greatest number of impacted schools during the audit, with 44 institutions scheduled to close their boarding facilities. There are 13 schools in Kisii, 13 in Kiambu, 26 in Kericho, 15 in Nandi, and 19 in Uasin Gishu, among other impacted counties.
Unless the schools achieve the specified safety criteria, the government has ordered them to start operating as day schools in January.
Visa Oshwal, Jonathan Gloag, Thika Road Primary, Don Bosco Primary School, St. Anna’s Preparatory School, and Happy Land Academy are among the Nairobi schools that are impacted.
349 schools have four weeks to comply with safety regulations or risk being expelled.
