Most Schools Ill-Prepared for Fire Emergencies, Auditor General’s Report Reveals.
A recent Auditor General report highlighted significant shortcomings in Kenyan schools’ fire safety systems. This comes after the horrific fire at Endera Hillside Academy, which killed several pupils.
The data show that most schools are unprepared for fire outbreaks, despite the Ministry of Education’s safety protocols.
The research, which examined 42 schools in five counties, revealed a troubling picture. Most schools lacked basic firefighting apparatus, including extinguishers, alarms, and fire blankets.
Utter lack of evacuation maps in all of the schools evaluated, which are required at all entrances under Ministry rules, was even more troubling.
Further investigations revealed that some schools do not adhere to safety standards. For example, 22 schools were discovered to have classroom and dormitory doors that opened inward, which is a significant breach of fire safety guidelines.
This building defect could imprison pupils in the case of a fire, as fear and overcrowding at inward-opening doors could result in deadly delays in evacuation.
In addition to structural issues, the investigation discovered that some schools had dormitories with only one exit rather than the permitted two entrances on opposing ends. Furthermore, metal grills on windows made it impossible to escape in case of a fire.
Overcrowding in schools was also identified, with 30 of the 42 schools exceeding the recommended student capacity and several classrooms carrying more than the maximum of 45 kids.
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The research also highlighted dormitory difficulties, revealing that 34 boarding schools were using triple-decker beds in cramped spaces, which violated the permitted double-decker bed norm. Dormitory pathway space fell short of two meters, making speedy evacuation even more difficult.
In response, the Auditor General has requested that the Ministry of Education perform a complete compliance assessment to ensure that all schools follow safety laws. The frequent and tragic fires in schools around the country highlight the severity of this issue.
However, the report raises the question of whether the Ministry has taken these recommendations seriously.
Most Schools Ill-Prepared for Fire Emergencies, Auditor General’s Report Reveals.
