Over 3,000 students from various schools are idling at home over unexplained fires in Kisii and Nyamira.
A total of 18 schools in the two counties have been affected in the past three weeks, with some closing down indefinitely.
Property, which school authorities estimate is worth Sh200 million, has been destroyed, with the Government maintaining that parents will have to bear the costs.
Over the weekend, two dormitories in Itibo Boys and Bongonta Secondary schools, both in Kisii County, were burnt. The Kisii Education Board is expected to form a task force to look into the causes of the frequent fires.
Quick intervention by the Teachers Service Commission to send home the principals of Itiero Boys and Nyamache Boys has done little to reverse the worrying trend.
Seven dormitories went up in flames at Itierio Boys late last month, forcing Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang and TSC boss Nancy Macharia to visit the school.
minor injuries
And in North Rift, over 600 students from different schools are at home while others have been arrested in connection with school fires.
In Trans Nzoia County, over 300 students of St Francis Suwerwa Boys Secondary School were sent home after fire destroyed their dormitories on July 10. Two dormitories were razed as students were in class for night preps.
Suwerwa Officer Commanding Police Division Jacob Mabonga confirmed the incident in which 15 students sustained minor injuries as they tried to save property. School Principal Charles Mwaria said the fire was suspected to have been caused by an electric fault even though he did not rule out arson.
Three secondary schools have suffered fires in Homa Bay County since the beginning of the year. The latest is Atela Mixed Secondary School in Rachuonyo East where learning was paralysed after fire gutted a laboratory and a store.
Story by Erick Abuga, Osinde Obare, James Omoro and Fred Kibor
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