By Roy Hezron
Education stakeholders have warned that Sigalame High School in Busia County risks permanent closure if a lasting solution regarding the ongoing fire incidents in the school isn’t found.
Within a span of three months, there have been five fire incidents in the school.
Speaking to Education News Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Busia county Executive Secretary Mr. Okisai Moffats requested that the Directorate of Criminal Investigation’s (DCI) report should be availed to enable them unmask the untold stories of fire outbreaks in the school.
“The school risks perennial closure and declaration as an academic museum. The many fire outbreaks are beyond human imagination. We also request the DCI report to be availed since the past two reports from the Board and the ministry haven’t helped much,” said Okisai.
He added that it had taken the intervention of the Busia County Education Board (CEB) to prevail upon parents not to withdraw their children from the school, adding that the psychological, social and economic damage to the learners, parents and all stakeholders is too much to bear.
“The big question is who is behind these fires? What is the motive? Who is being targeted? Why dormitories? This chronology of fires is scaring to say the least,” lamented Okisai.
The first fire incident occurred on 26 July 2021, the second occurred on 8 August 2021 and the third occurred on 20 August 2021. The fourth and fifth incidents occurred on 20 September 2021 and 26 October 2021 respectively.
The school has invited independent investigators, who have linked the fire incidents to supply cartels who might have missed out on lucrative tenders.
Dr Osborne Mabalu, who chairs the independent investigation team, said that the fires have nothing to do with indiscipline among students.
“The change of administration came with issues like nepotism and review in the list of suppliers. The warring suppliers could be fighting through fires,” said Dr. Mabalu.
The school has a population of 1,780 boys who consume at least 60 bags of maize and beans every week.
