All boarding schools in the country will now undergo a fresh inspection to assess their compliance with the guidelines of safety standards manual for schools in Kenya, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has directed.

Ogamba in a statement issued on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, said the inspection which will be done in phases, will be conducted by the Ministry of Education jointly with relevant agencies.

The first phase that kicked off this week, Ogamba says, will cover all boarding Primary and Junior schools in the country.

The second phase of the inspection exercise will cover Secondary schools.

Ogamba has also stated that the inspection will involve officials from the Ministries of Education, Interior and National Administration, Health and Department of Public Works, officers from the County Governments and the Kenya Redcross.

“It has, therefore, become necessary for the Ministry of Education, jointly with relevant agencies, to conduct an urgent countrywide inspection of all public and private basic learning institutions to assess their levels of compliance with the guidelines of the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya.

“The first phase of this inspection, which started this week, will cover all boarding Primary and Junior schools in the country, while the second phase of the inspection exercise will cover Secondary schools. The inspection will involve officials from the Ministries of Education, Interior and National Administration, Health and Department of Public Works. It will also involve officers from the County Governments and the Kenya Redcross,” Ogamba’s statement reads in part.

CS Ogamba further stated that the inspection will provide an opportunity for the government to unearth reasons behind the recent spate of school fire that have been reported in a few schools.

He also noted that the fresh inspection will provide opportunity for the government to make appropriate recommendations to remedy the situation, in cases where there are fresh interventions required that are a departure from the indiscipline cases reported in the previous years.

Moreover, Ogamba has warned of a firm action against Ministry of Education officials, school administrators and managers that will be found to have flouted the guidelines stipulated in the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya.

“Firm and decisive action will be taken against Ministry of Education officials, school administrators and managers found to have flouted the guidelines stipulated in the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya, in accordance with the Basic Education Act, 2013,” Ogamba stated.

Ogamba’s directive follows a recent spate of school fire that have been witnessed in the country, with the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire being the most recent tragic incident.

The most recent school fire was witnessed at Isiolo Boys High School on the evening of Tuesday, September 10, 2024.