After deadly fire, voices are raised against lack of security in schools

In Kenya, several voices are being raised to demand an investigation into the circumstances of the fire that broke out on the night of Thursday 5 to Friday 6 September 2024 in a dormitory at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County, in the centre of the country, which claimed the lives of 21 boarders.

With our correspondent in Nairobi, Albane Thirouard

Au Kenyasixty-seven students were killed in thetheir dormitory burned down in 2001. Nine people lost their lives in 2016 in similar circumstances. This week’s disaster evokes ” bad memories ” said the attorney general’s office in a statement. Which emphasizes that “ the neglect and failure of officials to prioritize the safety of children in schools and ensure compliance with safety protocols ».

Failures already noted in recent years

In 2020, Kenya’s Auditor General already warned of a lack of preparedness for fire risks in some schools, after auditing around forty of them. The report cites, among other things, a lack of equipment and poorly adapted buildings, for example without emergency exits. One of the main teachers’ unions is now accusing the government of not doing enough to ensure that schools are compliant.

Safety rules ignored

- RFI