Ensure school fires come to an end

There has been no let-up in the spate of school fires across the country. Arson continues even as education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, parents and leaders call on students to act responsibly and desist from burning school buildings irrespective of whatever grievances they hold.

St Angelic girls in Meru County, Tulwet Secondary in Bureti, Atela Secondary in Homa Bay County and Embu Boys in Embu County are the latest to join the growing list of schools that have been torched by students.

The statistics from school fires are grim; 3,000 students in Nyamira and Kisii counties are missing studies after burning 18 schools in the two countries. Property destroyed is valued in excess of Sh200 million.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i had indicated the two task forces charged with finding out the causes of school unrest would table their findings last week but the findings are yet to be made public.

What cannot be missed, however, is the power play between the Ministry of Education, head teachers and teachers unions. Since Dr Matiang'i and his predecessor Prof Kaimenyi upset the status quo in an environment where schools were run outside ministerial controls, things have not been the same.

The situation is not made any better by the militant stance taken by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) in opposing each and every proposal for change from the education ministry and the Teachers Service Commission. Rather than seek to judiciously resolve differences on policy issues, all that high ranking officials from KNUT have done is publicly condemn the ministry and issue ultimatums.

What would stop some students from picking on these utterances and considering them endorsements for their unruly behaviour? This should not be the case.

Grandstanding can only hurt education further. Officials from both sides must adopt a middle ground and talk to each other. All is not yet lost.