A rising death toll and the arrest of eight students have thrown the spotlight on fire safety in Kenyan schools, as the British government dispatches experts to assist with reforms. The fire, which swept through a dormitory at Hillside Endarasha Academy in central Kenya, has left at least 21 dead. The teenage suspects are believed to have started the blaze in what authorities describe as a retaliatory act against school discipline.
For families in Nyeri County, this is a tragedy that cuts deep. Every parent who sends a child to school expects safety, but this disaster exposes a failure in basic protections. Fire extinguishers were missing, escape routes were blocked, and the dormitory windows were barred. This is not an isolated incident. In 2017, a fire at a secondary school in Mombasa killed nine pupils. In 2019, a fire at a primary school in Nairobi claimed another life. The pattern is grim: poor infrastructure, lack of drills, and overcrowded dormitories.
Now, the British government is stepping in. A team of fire safety experts from the UK will arrive in Nairobi next week to work with Kenyan officials on a nationwide audit of school safety. The move follows a request from Kenya’s Interior Ministry, which admits that current regulations are weak and poorly enforced. “We cannot allow another tragedy,” said a ministry spokesperson. “We need a complete overhaul of fire safety standards in all learning institutions.”
But experts warn that the problem goes beyond regulations. Much of Kenya’s school infrastructure dates back to the colonial era or was built quickly to meet rising enrolment. Wooden dormitories, faulty wiring, and a lack of sprinkler systems are common. The cost of upgrading these schools is estimated at 50 billion Kenyan shillings (£300 million), a sum that the government has not yet allocated.
The eight students in custody are aged between 15 and 17. They face charges of murder and arson. Their families have described them as victims of harsh discipline, but the law will take its course. For the community, grief and anger are intertwined. “Our children are dying because of negligence,” said a parent whose son survived the fire. “The government must act, and it must act now.”
This tragedy is a sharp reminder that the right to education is empty without the right to safety. The UK’s involvement offers hope, but only if it leads to real change on the ground. Too many children have already paid the ultimate price.
