Act fast to prevent a repeat of the 2016 school fires

The burnt dormitory of Moi Girls Secondary School.

Last year, school fires that affected at least 100 schools countrywide were a cause for alarm. The timing of the arson attacks coincided with the implementation of policies that Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i had initiated to restore the dignity of the Kenyan education system that had fallen prey to cartels.

As would have been expected, accusations and counter-accusations flew with reckless abandon. Some believed it was the cartels expressing their displeasure with Dr Matiangi’s tough rules that threatened their lucrative business of selling leaked examination papers. Those who prefer to politicise issues blamed the Opposition. Yet there were those who believed students were rebelling against a pernicious curriculum. Others blamed substance abuse.

The fires stopped as suddenly as they started. And as Kenyans, especially parents with children in boarding schools, breathed a sigh of relief, the disturbing trend has reared its ugly head again, just days after the reopening of schools for the third term, and as preparations for next month's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations begin. A fire at Moi Girls High School Nairobi last Saturday claimed the lives of nine girls.

While similar fires were also reported at Chuka Boys in Meru County and Sigoti Girls in Kisumu County, Matiang'i has said the Moi Girls fire was an act of arson. The question is; who are these heartless individuals willing to sacrifice innocent students so casually? And what motivates them?

The bereaved and the survivors of these fires need counselling to overcome the loss and trauma. Notably, the teenagers of this generation are under a lot of pressure - technology, peers, a loaded curriculum and too many exams because what has come to be known as a ‘mean score’ demands too much from them.

This in itself ensures that students have very little time, if any, to bond with family and friends. Any chances of proper guidance are therefore wasted because the communal set up is broken.

The future of this country lies with the youth. If they miss out on the opportunity to be taught how to behave responsibly from an early age, it is unlikely they will do so in adulthood, which in turn does not augur well for future generations.

Society must invest heavily in raising responsible youths. If left to their own devices, they are a ticking time bomb. A sense of belonging must be inculcated in them.