Felix Koskei Calls For Improved Boarding School Safety After Endarasha Fire: "Children Lost Lives"

• Twenty-one students from Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri died after a fire broke out in their dormitory
• Felix Koskei, the head of public service, expressed sorrow over the incident, stating that parents should be comfortable while their children are in school
• He urged all officials from the Ministry of Education to ensure that all schools are constructed according to instructions issued by the government

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Nyeri - As investigations continue into the fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy, which claimed at least 21 lives, Felix Koskei, the head of the public service, has called for stricter safety standards.

The blaze has caused widespread outrage among parents, students, and the community, with 48 other learners still missing.

Why Felix Koskei wants school infrastructure improved

Koskei expressed sorrow over the loss of young lives and emphasised that families had expected their children to be safe in school.

"Young children lost their lives. We are asking every officer in the government to ensure the safety of our children in boarding schools and even in classes. We want to ensure that parents are comfortable after releasing their students to schools and that the institutions have proper equipment that would guarantee the safety of the students," he stated.

Speaking at Nkubu High School in Meru, he urged the Ministry of Education to ensure that school constructions adhere strictly to safety guidelines.

"Officers in the Ministry of Education in respective counties have to do proper inspections and guidelines and approve the designs and construction of schools in line with the instructions given," he added.

President William Ruto has ordered a thorough probe into the incident, insisting that those responsible must be held accountable

Heartbroken mother rejects food at Endarasha school

Meanwhile, a parent who visited the school awaiting to hear about her son was reduced to tears after unidentified people offered them food.

The heartbroken mother stated that they wanted their children and not food, turning away the gesture.

Other parents who sat behind her waiting anxiously for news about their sons also broke down.

What else you need to know about Hillside Endarasha Academy fire

• A prayer service has been held in memory of the 22 children killed in the inferno
• A student who survived the fire narrated how a bulb exploded in the dormitory, starting the fire
• TUKO.co.ke had shared touching photos of parents at the institution following the fire accident

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke