Magoha to appear before MPs over school tragedy
By Hillary Mageka, September 30, 2019
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha and his PS Belio Kipsang are expected to appear before a Senate committee tomorrow to shed light on the state of infrastructure in schools.
This is after Senate Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki directed last week the two State officers appear before the Education committee to explain the circumstances under which a school that collapsed and killed eight pupils and injured 64 others was licensed and allowed to operate.
The proprietor of the school, Moses Wainaina has since been charged in court and school licence revoked.
Declaring the death of the eight learners a national disaster, Kindiki described the incident as grave.
“We lost children and that is not a small number and it would not have been small even if we lost one child because one child is big enough a number. For that reason, I direct the Committee on Education to be seized of this matter,” he ruled on Thursday.
“The committee should look for the people involved including those involved in physical planning, and those who give approvals in the county government,” he said.
He was reacting to a statement requested by nominated Senator Millicent Omanga regarding the fatalities caused by the collapse of a classroom at Precious Talents Top School in Dagoretti, Nairobi.
Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale has faulted Magoha and Kipsang for the closure of tens of schools in the wake of last week’s tragedy terming their reaction “knee-jerk”. He wants the duo to take responsibility and resign from for incompetence and neglect.