Put interests aside to get to root cause of rampant school fires

Given the rate at which cases of arson are rising in schools, the matter has reached crisis proportions. Hardly a day goes by without several reports of schools getting burnt. While in the past it has been easy to associate such acts of unruliness with boys, the sad reality is that girls’ schools have not been spared. Yet the manner in which the fires are occurring points to some coordination, which makes it necessary to get to the root cause of the disturbances.

Head teachers have joined the Kenya National Union of Teachers in claiming that recent changes to the school calendar and the elimination of prayer and visiting days during third term as the cause of the fires. The veracity of these claims has not been established because fires in schools are new. To give some of the worst examples, Bombolulu was burnt in 1998. Kyanguli secondary school was torched in 2001 and Stephjoy in 2015.

Changes to the school calendar were introduced by Education Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang'i recently in a bid to contain widespread cases of cheating in national examinations. But in an interesting turn of events, Dr Matiang'i now points the finger at head teachers.

While appearing before the Senate Committee on Education earlier this week, the Cabinet secretary laid blame on the managerial styles of some head teachers, which have caused disharmony between them, their deputies and teachers. Such disagreements often fail to create avenues of constructive engagements between teachers and students.

The new regulation by Matiang'i requiring parents to sign indemnities taking responsibility for the conduct of their children while in school is bound to rub some people the wrong way, yet we must agree that discipline starts at home. Parental control is the foundation on which discipline is built but when some parents abdicate that responsibility to teachers, indiscipline becomes a problem.

There has been enough of blame games that must now come to an end as serious efforts are put into finding a lasting solution. All players must put their personal interests aside and forge a common ground in the interest of the country. We cannot build a country of hooligans and expect to transform the country positively. In attempting to solve the problems that are causing so much unrest, it is good to start from the known.

The problem of drug addiction is not new to our schools. In 2014, after 41 students in Embu were found with drugs, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse said 50 per cent of students countrywide were addicted to drugs and sexual immorality. Some of the banned substances students use are cigarettes, bhang, Kuber and alcohol.

In some schools, high-handedness by teachers and punishment that is sometimes not commensurate with the offence are fertile grounds for resentment against school authorities. Perhaps because of lack of resources or big workloads, schools have failed to invest in professional guidance and counselling services. We must work on these.

The report of the two task forces on indiscipline in schools should be made public. While at least 40 students have been charged with arson, the police are holding others who are helping with investigations. Those findings should also be made public and any complicit party must be punished.