Western Region Parents Association representative Alexander Alubukha has questioned whether safety measures in boarding schools are working, following a string of fire tragedies that have claimed the lives of dozens of learners.

Speaking in Vihiga on Friday, May 29, 2026, when reacting to a deadly dormitory fire that broke out at Utumishi Girls in Gilgil, Alubukha said parents are losing confidence in the safety of boarding institutions and demanded an urgent audit of all dormitories countrywide.

“Are the safety measures we talk about in schools actually working? Parents take their children to school to learn, not to die,” Alubukha said.

“We cannot normalise burying our children because of preventable fires,” Alubukha lamented.

Alubukha cited recent incidents that have shaken the nation.

Endarasha fire tragedy

In September 2024, 21 pupils died at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri after a dormitory fire broke out at night.

In March 2025, Kakamega Hill School lost two learners in a dawn inferno that gutted a dormitory, with investigations pointing to poor emergency exits.

The latest case is Utumishi Girls in Gilgil, Naivasha, where 16 students perished, several students were injured, and property worth millions of shillings was destroyed, reviving painful memories for parents.

Endarasha, Kakamega Hill School, now Utumishi Girls in Gilgil. How many more schools before we act?” Alubukha posed.

“The pattern is clear: overcrowded dorms, grilled windows, locked doors at night, and no fire drills,” he noted.

The parents’ representative accused some school boards of ignoring the Ministry of Education safety guidelines issued after past tragedies.

2008 safety standards manual

He said the 2008 Safety Standards Manual requires dormitories to have two doors opening outward, fire extinguishers, wide spacing between beds, and night guards. Yet spot checks, he said, show many schools still use padlocks on dormitory doors “to prevent indiscipline”, trapping children during emergencies.

“Who inspects these schools? Who signs their compliance certificates? We want the Quality Assurance and Standards officers to answer,” he said.

Alubukha wants the Ministry of Education to suspend boarding licences for schools that fail impromptu safety audits. He also urged Parliament to fast-track the School Safety Bill to criminalise negligence by school heads and boards.

He asked parents to demand safety briefings during AGMs and to physically inspect where their children sleep.

“Ask to see the fire exits. Ask if they do drills. Ask who keeps the keys at night. Don’t wait for burial meetings,” posed Alubukha.

“Education without safety is a death sentence,” Alubukha said.

“We will not sit back as another dormitory becomes a dead trap for our children,” warned Alubukha.

Condoling with bereaved families

Alubukha condoled with families who lost their children in the Utumishi Girls’ fires tragedy and called on the government to release pending compensation for Endarasha and Kakamega Hill School victims.

School fires have killed over 100 learners since 2016, according to data from the Kenya Red Cross, with most cases blamed on arson, electrical faults, or negligence.