About 10 Kilgoris Boys high school students in Narok County have been arrested in connection with the inferno at the school, the School principal has confirmed.
The institution was closed indefinitely on Monday, July 24, 2023, following a fire that razed down a dormitory, dining hall, and a classroom.
The School principal Mr. Philip Lipaso, said the students allegedly set the facilities on fire following a water shortage caused by a faulty electricity transformer in the school.
“We had a shortage of water in the school and we were communicating with Kenya Power to replace the transformer since we use electricity to pump water.
However, at around 8:40 pm, some boys started shouting and making noise,” he said.
Shortly after calming the situation, at 9:30 pm, the boys again started shouting and at that time, one class was set ablaze.
“The staff and security personnel who intervened used the hand fire extinguishers to stop the fire since there was no water, and we managed to put off the fires,” the principal added.
He said the students later woke up in the wee hours of Monday and set one dormitory on fire bringing the total damage for the school at around Ksh3 million.
“Although we have sent all the students home until further notice, we appeal to them not to repeat such a thing again but instead learn to dialogue through the school management,” the Principal said.
The decision to close down the school came after members of the school Board of Management held an impromptu meeting following revelations by some students that their colleagues wanted to burn the school.
The area police boss Hussein Wario and the deputy police commander were yet to issue a statement on the incident by the time we went to press.
Police are holding two students from St Mary’s Girls Secondary School Thigio in Limuru Sub County in connection with the Saturday night inferno that saw two dormitories razed down.
The two are helping the police with the investigation.
It’s reported that the inferno razed down the dormitory which houses 100 students leaving the students and the school management counting nothing but losses.
According to Kariuki Mwangi Ndeiya the sub-county education director, while confirming the incident said that the school has since been closed indefinitely.
“The school has been closed until further notice so that the school board can ascertain the damage and repairs be done,” Kariuki said.
No student was hurt during Saturday’s incident.
The worth of the property was not immediately established which included books, beddings, mattresses, shoes, uniforms, and other personal effects.
Area Member of Parliament John Kiragu visited the school and donated 250 mattresses.
Kiragu said his office will work with the school’s BOM and the Ministry of Education so as to see the students resume in classrooms quickly.
“After all, the syllabus has to be covered before the exams are sat.
We have to sit down and work out a plan that will help the students and the Form 4 candidates sit for their final exams” he said.
The legislator also urged the school to enhance the security surveillance measures so as to prevent any other heinous acts in the school.
“The school management needs to visit other boarding schools and learn how they have done to keep watch of the whole school,” he noted.
