Abolish boarding schools to avert arsons, MP tells gov't

North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood has called for the immediate abolishment of boarding schools in the country if the current students' unrest continues unabated.

The MP said if the current trend and especially the burning of dormitories continues the government should think of abolishing boarding schools in Kenya.

Speaking at CCM Township day secondary school in Meru town, Mr Dawood regretted that fire incidents could lead to injuries, unnecessary loss of lives and property.

He said school unrest and especially burning of dorms is common during exam times which mostly falls in the third term of the academic year.

“The best solution in curbing dormitory fires is to scrap boarding schools in order to avoid such calamities,” Dawood said.

He advised the learners to seek guidance and counseling from teachers, parents and education officials in case they are facing problems instead of burning dormitories which at times leads to death of innocent students.

While condoling with the victims of Endarasha Hillside Academy, the MP noted that he has visited several boarding schools and was not happy with how the students are accommodated at the institutions.

He said the model of boarding schools should be evaluated in a bid to make it safe and child friendly.

He said it should be made mandatory for matrons to sleep in the dormitories and not outside so that they can intervene immediately in case of danger.

“If the changes had been made earlier we would not have lost students like it happened at Hillside Endarasha Academy. The young and vulnerable learners should not be left alone. The matron should always sleep in the dormitory in order to intervene immediately in case of danger. Matrons should never sleep outside the dormitories,” he said.

Dawood promised to pay school fees for all the day secondary school students in the constituency from next year.
He said they will hold consultative meetings with all the school principals in a bid to come up with the best model of paying the fees.

Rahim said no student in the area will be expelled from school as a result of lack of fees, noting students will only be required to cater for examination cost.

“Learners in day secondary schools will not be paying fees in this constituency in future. It will be paid by the CDF,” Dawood said..

Rahim noted there is a problem in the university funding model with many of his constituents being wrongly placed in band 5.

He called on the government to find a solution to the problem even if it means placing almost all the students in band one, advising the affected students to appeal against the placements.