The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) chairperson Lydia Nzomo has urged stakeholders in the education sector to support each other to help curb the escalating school arson cases in the country. At least 80 schools have had to deal with arson cases and students’ unrest in the past three months, and the problem hasn’t been solved so far, with parents, teachers and even students involved in winding blame games. Speaking to the press at a closed door meeting between the Teachers Service Commission and Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association in Nairobi, she was keen to highlight the fact that the blame games will not help in tackling the arson cases.
Earlier on, KUPPET and KNUT had suggested that schools be closed in order to curb the problem, but the chairman of the Kenya Secondary Schools Head Association (KSSHA) Mr. John Awiti reputed had a different suggestion, insisting that closing schools at the moment will not help solve the overriding issue. “Its not logical to close schools now,” he said, “Only two weeks are remaining to reach end of term”. He further said closing schools will not deal with the underlying issues that the students may have, and will instead just be a temporary solution to the problem, given that the students’ unrest may resume once they come back to school. According to prior discussions, it was noted that in most schools, students have targeted dormitories, more than libraries, classrooms and even administration blocks, meaning there might be deeper problems.
The chairman said the committee formed by the Cabinet Secretary should carry out their research quickly, “The committee set up by the Cabinet Secretary should come up with their findings quickly, even if its just an interim committee,” he said. Kenyans are hoping a solution can be found sooner rather than alter, and those responsible for the arson cases be brought to book.