Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has disclosed the names of the pupils who lost their lives in the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire tragedy that occurred on Thursday, September 5.
Speaking during their memorial service on Thursday, September 26, in Nyeri County, Ogamba read out the names of the 21 pupils, noting that they needed to be remembered.
"I have read these names because I want each one of us to know that they are not just numbers and that they are not just going to be part of statistics. That is why I have read their names because we need to remember their names," Ogamba remarked.
In his speech, the CS affirmed that the government has taken steps to support the affected families and will continue to provide assistance as they lay their loved ones to rest.
He further noted that the tragedy has served as a turning point, empashising that schools must be safe havens for nurturing the potential of learners.
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"The loss of these young lives is not going to be in vain. As a ministry, we have made the decision that this has to be the turning point. Our schools must be safe havens for nurturing the potential of our children," Ogamba stated.
Additionally, Ogamba the CS maintained that the government was keen to establish the cause of the tragedy.
"We are keen to establish the cause of the tragedy that cost these young lives. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is leading in this process and we as a ministry are carrying out an audit to establish if there was any omission on the part of our officers," Ogamba explained.
Deputy President, who represented President William Ruto in the memorial, asked the Ministry of Education to ensure the safety of learners in school.
