The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Busia branch has called for concerted efforts from education stakeholders across the country to end the rampant school fires.
KUPPET Busia branch Executive Secretary Moffat Okisai called on the government to expedite investigations in all the affected schools as the fires pose a great threat to schools’ academic calendar.
According to Okisai, the key issue to be looked into is delocalization of teachers outside their home counties which he claims is one of the primary causes of continued school unrest.
He added that stakeholders need to “handle the issue with care while finding ways through which the teachers and other key players in the education sector can embrace the policy.”
Further he noted that in most cases teachers posted from far face some resistance particularly if they are top school managers.
“It is high time the community started looking at teachers from other places as fellow Kenyans and not people from other tribes or regions,” said Okisai.
According to him, in many instances where students have burnt down schools investigations have pointed at the influence of the neighboring community especially when the school administrators are not locals.
In the last two weeks, dormitories in Namboboto and Sigalame Boys High schools in Busia County were completely razed by fire with Nambale Boys High School being the latest after students managed to put out a fire that had started in one of their dormitories on Sunday night.
“These are incidents we need to stop once and for all. They must be investigated both internally and externally. These are young people who are wasting away at home at a time they are suppossed to be studying,” the KUPPET secretary said.
