The Elimu Bora Working Group has called on the government to reinstate the Edu-Afya student health insurance programme, warning that the absence of a dedicated medical cover for learners has contributed to preventable deaths in schools.
During a briefing at the Kenya Human Rights Commission offices in Nairobi, the lobby group highlighted several recent tragedies involving students, arguing that delays in accessing hospital care, often caused by uncertainty over medical costs, have worsened outcomes.
“Any minute lost during an emergency can mean the difference between life and death. You can even bring something better, but start with what was there and was working,” said policy expert Boaz Waruku.
Edu-Afya, which ended on December 31, 2023, provided comprehensive health coverage for public secondary school students through the National Hospital Insurance Fund in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
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The scheme covered outpatient, inpatient, dental, and optical services at accredited facilities without requiring upfront payments. It was replaced by the Social Health Insurance framework under the Social Health Authority, which now covers learners under household registration. Critics argue this arrangement leaves students vulnerable during emergencies compared with the dedicated student cover previously in place.
Elimu Bora is urging the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission to establish a national learner safety and emergency response framework. The group wants mandatory first aid and life support training for school staff, independent investigations into recent student deaths, and clear accountability wherever negligence is found.
The lobby group cited the Basic Education Act of 2013, noting that compliance with occupational health and safety standards is a legal requirement for school registration and operation. Section 82(2)(d) requires proof of safe premises, Section 59(d) obliges boards to maintain safety compliance, and Section 50(2) mandates that boarding schools employ a qualified nurse, security personnel, and provide adequate supervision.
According to Elimu Bora, the recurrence of student fatalities points to systemic failures in safety and emergency preparedness. “Even after the tragic fire at Endarasha Hillside Academy in 2024, which exposed serious failures in compliance and oversight, it is evident that critical lessons were not learnt,” the group said.
Among the cases cited were Moses Joseph Onyoni, a Grade 9 learner at Moi Comprehensive School who collapsed in class; Samwel Munyao, a Grade 10 student fatally run over by a school water truck; and Brenda Akinyi of Njoro Girls High School, whose family was informed only after her condition deteriorated. Other reported fatalities included two learners who drowned in the River Tana during a school activity, Consolata Nduku in Machakos, Brian Sifuna of Segero Adventist School after allegedly ingesting a toxic substance, and Jimmy Anaro, a Form 3 learner in Lari who died after experiencing chest pains.
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“This persistent failure to uphold legally mandated protections is a systemic breakdown that demands urgent accountability and decisive corrective action by the government,” the group said, questioning whether school leaders and staff are adequately trained to manage medical emergencies and why learners are repeatedly declared dead on arrival at hospitals.
The lobby group has called on the President and the Education Cabinet Secretary to take responsibility for the recent deaths, insisting that learner safety must be treated as a national priority.
By Masaki Enock
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