Officials sacked over dormitory fire

The eight girls killed in a dormitory fire at Asumbi Girls Boarding Primary School on Wednesday night were among 85 pupils retained for holiday tuition, the government has confirmed.

And on Friday, Education minister Mutula Kilonzo reacted by recommending the dismissal of top education officials in Homa Bay County after the ministry discovered they issued misleading statements on holiday classes in the area.

Sent home were Homa Bay County education director Beatrice Asiago and the district education officer William Akumu.

“The officers filed a misleading report to the ministry stating that there were no illegal holiday tuition in the area, which was false,” the minister said.

He said the two and any other found culpable would be prosecuted.

Government investigators have been dispatched to the school to establish the cause of the tragedy.

The minister also dissolved the school’s board of governors. He said a new board will be named in a matter of days.

“The management was in gross violation of the ministry’s policy governing health and safety regulations that are aimed at protecting learners while in school,” he said.

The ministry also directed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to take disciplinary action against the school administrator for operating in contempt of government policies.

Mr Kilonzo told journalists in his office that had the school complied with his directive on holiday tuition, the painful deaths would have been avoided.

And the Nation learnt that parents of the pupils had paid for extra coaching during the holidays after being asked to do so by the school administrators.

Earlier reports that the victims of the Asumbi fire were needy cases retained to help them catch up appeared untrue after their parents and guardians confirmed that they had paid for the holiday tuition.

Mr Kilonzo also said that the ministry would crack down on defiant school administrators and owners who were still running remedial classes despite the ban.

Schools face ban

“In Nairobi I have received reports that holiday tuition is going on at St Mary’s Primary School, Makini, Strathmore and Riara schools. We have written to them to explain to us why they have disregarded the policy on tuition and we are going to act,” the minister said.

He warned that the ministry would be compelled to de-register defiant schools, adding that collecting money for holiday tuition was illegal.