Pressure Mounts on CS Ogamba and PS Kipsang After Endarasha School Tragedy.
Following the tragic deaths of 21 students at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, advocacy groups are demanding immediate action. Two prominent organizations, the Elimu Bora Working Group (EBWG) and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), are calling for the resignation of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang. They accuse these officials of failing to ensure the safety of students across Kenya, particularly in the wake of this disaster. With mounting pressure, the spotlight is now on the Ministry of Education and its role in safeguarding students.
The tragedy at Hillside Endarasha Academy has ignited public outrage, with lobby groups blaming Ogamba and Kipsang for neglecting their duty. According to EBWG, both officials, along with the Ministry’s Quality and Standards Assurance Team in Nyeri, failed to implement essential safety measures. This negligence, they argue, directly contributed to the loss of lives. The Kenya Human Rights Commission also echoed this view, calling for accountability. The KHRC emphasized that those tasked with inspecting the school and ensuring safety should face consequences for their inaction.
Both organizations have pushed for the immediate resignation of the two top education officials. In addition, they have urged the Ministry to provide full transparency to the parents of the affected children. Transparency regarding the conditions that led to the incident and the whereabouts of their children is a primary concern for the lobby groups.
Read also: Government Faces Scrutiny Over Failure to Enforce Safety Rules in Schools
In response to these calls, the advocacy groups are pushing for a nationwide review of safety protocols, especially in boarding schools. Both EBWG and KHRC have insisted on strict enforcement of safety regulations to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. The groups argue that the Ministry of Education, along with relevant inspection bodies, holds the responsibility for ensuring that safety measures are properly implemented.
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To intensify the pressure, KHRC is finalizing a petition that calls for action against those who failed to enforce safety standards at Hillside Endarasha Academy. The petition highlights the need for urgent safety reforms and accountability from school administrations across the country.
In the face of mounting criticism, Education CS Julius Ogamba held a press conference announcing immediate inspections of all schools nationwide. Ogamba stated that the inspections aim to ensure compliance with safety standards outlined in the Safety Standards Manual. He added that these inspections would help identify the root causes of recent school fires and other safety issues. The CS highlighted the importance of prompt intervention to address current challenges, which differ from the discipline-related concerns of previous years.
Read also: Crackdown on Rogue Boarding Schools Launched to Ensure Student Safety
Ogamba’s announcement marks the government’s initial steps toward resolving the safety crisis. The inspections, according to Ogamba, will play a key role in determining the actions needed to prevent future incidents.
The tragic events at Hillside Endarasha Academy have sparked a national conversation on school safety. Advocacy groups, including EBWG and KHRC, are demanding accountability from top education officials, while also calling for comprehensive safety reforms across Kenya’s schools. Their insistence on transparency, enforcement, and nationwide inspections underscores the urgent need to protect students from further harm. As pressure mounts on CS Ogamba and PS Kipsang, the government must take decisive action to ensure that schools become safe environments for all learners.
Pressure Mounts on CS Ogamba and PS Kipsang After Endarasha School Tragedy.
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