Albert Ombiro, the immediate former Chief Principal of Cardinal Otunga Mosocho High School and now Kenya’s Education Attaché to China, has expressed concern over the increasing number of fire incidents in schools across the country.
Ombiro said the frequency of the incidents points to patterns that often emerge before outbreaks occur and urged school heads to act early whenever unusual behaviour is observed within their institutions.
Among the warning signs he listed are sudden silence on student social media platforms such as WhatsApp, where normal communication unexpectedly goes quiet. He also cited avoidance of eye contact by both staff and students when interacting with principals, as well as the emergence of distinct groups among teachers and learners that create divisions within schools.
Other indicators, he said, include unnecessary outbursts of temper by teachers directed at students, excessive praise of principals by deputies in ways that appear unusual, and situations where staff and learners begin avoiding the principal or withdrawing from normal school activities.
“There is often a general mood of withdrawal that sets in before such incidents,” Ombiro said. “These are not conclusive proof of arson, but they should prompt principals and education officials to engage stakeholders and address underlying issues before they escalate.”
He called for early consultation with teachers, student leaders, and sub-county education offices to restore dialogue and address grievances that may be fuelling tension in schools.
Calls for support of broad-based government
Ombiro, who has expressed interest in the Bomachoge Borabu parliamentary seat in 2027, also appealed to elected leaders from the region to support the broad-based government in order to accelerate development.
He urged leaders, particularly those from his constituency, to avoid working against the government and instead support its development agenda.
While welcoming constructive criticism, he said those opposing the broad-based government should first understand its objectives, noting that education remains a key pillar in fostering national unity.
National dialogue proposed
Addressing the youth, Ombiro urged them to move away from outdated ethnicity-based politics and embrace modern thinking shaped by education and skills development.
Meanwhile, calls have emerged from leaders across the political divide for a national dialogue to address the increasing cases of school arson.
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Speaking on a vernacular radio station, presidential aspirant Dr. Fred Matiang’i urged national leaders to set aside political differences and work together to find lasting solutions to the frequent fire outbreaks in schools.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Ministry of Education on measures being taken to curb the fires were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
By Enock Okong’o
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