The Elimu Bora Working Group has called for the resignation of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang following the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire tragedy that claimed the lives of 21 pupils.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 11, the lobby group said the two senior government officials failed to protect the Hillside Endarasha Academy students yet they are entrusted with ensuring all schools in the country are safe.
The Elimu Bora Working Group also called for the resignation of the Ministry of Education’s Standards Assurance Team in Nyeri County.
“Education CS Ogamba, PS Kipsang, and the Ministry’s Quality and Standards Assurance Team in Nyeri must resign and take full responsibility for this disaster.
“These officials failed to protect our children, yet they are entrusted with ensuring that schools across Kenya are safe,” read part of the statement.
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At the same time, the lobby group demanded that the Ministry of Education and the administration of Hillside Academy to provide parents with relevant information concerning the tragedy, including the students’ safety and whereabouts.
“The administration of Hillside Academy must be held accountable for the students’ deaths that happened under their watch,” the lobby group stated.
The Elimu Bora Working Group also called for the review of safety conditions in all schools, particularly boarding institutions to prevent future tragedies.
The lobby group further revealed that it is preparing to file a legal challenge together with the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) against those whose negligence and failure to enforce proper safety standards led to the deaths of Hillside Endarasha students.
The statement comes after CS Ogamba announced a mandatory nationwide inspection of all public and private schools.
The Education CS noted that the inspection will assess the level of compliance with the guidelines of the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in the country.
