Ministry Sends Utumishi Girls Principal on Compulsory Leave as School Announces New Reopening Dates

The Ministry of Education has taken fresh action at Utumishi Girls Academy by sending the school’s principal on compulsory leave as part of wide-ranging reforms aimed at restoring confidence in the institution.

The move comes ahead of the school’s planned reopening, more than a month after a tragic dormitory fire claimed the lives of 16 students and shocked the country.

The decision was reached after an eight-hour meeting held on Monday, June 29, bringing together parents, Ministry of Education officials, and other stakeholders.

During the lengthy discussions, parents were updated on the measures that have been put in place to improve safety at the school.

At the end of the meeting, they agreed to allow students to return to class after earlier refusing to support the reopening due to unresolved concerns about the school’s preparedness.

The school will now reopen in phases to ensure a smooth transition. Form Four students are expected to report first on Thursday, July 2, allowing candidates to continue preparing for their national examinations.

Students in the remaining classes will return on Monday, July 6, after additional arrangements have been completed.

Only a day before the meeting, many parents had strongly opposed the proposed reopening. They argued that they could not send their daughters back to the school without receiving clear evidence that the problems which led to the deadly fire had been fully addressed.

Parents insisted that the school administration had not provided enough information about the safety improvements made since the tragic incident in May.

The devastating fire, which killed 16 students, raised serious concerns about whether the institution had been following the required school safety regulations. Families demanded assurances that such a tragedy would never happen again before they could allow their children to resume learning.

Following detailed consultations with Ministry of Education officials, parents were presented with a list of administrative and infrastructure reforms that have already been implemented or are currently underway.

One of the most significant changes announced during the meeting was the decision to place the school’s principal on compulsory leave as investigations and reforms continue.

The move follows an earlier decision by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to dissolve the school’s Board of Management.

The ministry explained that the board had failed to comply with important provisions contained in the School Safety Manual and the Basic Education Regulations, which are designed to protect learners and ensure schools meet required safety standards.

Parents were also informed that students would not be housed in the dormitory affected by the fire. Instead, learners will occupy the remaining dormitories that were not damaged during the incident. Authorities believe this arrangement will provide a safer environment while permanent reconstruction work continues.

In addition, the National Police Service has started constructing temporary accommodation facilities to create extra space for students. These temporary structures are expected to help address the shortage of boarding space as the government works on longer-term infrastructure improvements.

Speaking after the meeting, one parent confirmed that the unaffected dormitories would be used immediately while the temporary structures are being completed.

“The dormitories that were not affected by the fire will accommodate our girls. The National Police Service is also putting up temporary structures for the students,” the parent said.

To further improve safety and reduce overcrowding, the school has also announced plans to expand its dining hall. The expansion is expected to ease congestion during meal times, allowing students to maintain better spacing.

Additionally, two classrooms will temporarily be converted into dormitories to provide extra accommodation while construction of new permanent dormitories begins.

Although many parents eventually agreed to allow the school to reopen, several expressed disappointment over what they described as the government’s slow response in rebuilding the damaged facilities.

They argued that more financial support should have been provided much earlier to speed up reconstruction and restore confidence among families.

One parent warned that they would continue monitoring the government’s commitment to improving the school and expected visible progress within the coming weeks.

“We are giving the government until August to act. It cannot be that the government can spend hundreds of millions to construct a stadium in Wajir but cannot set aside Ksh30 million for a simple dormitory,” the parent said.

At the same time, legal proceedings linked to the deadly fire are also moving forward. The High Court in Kibera has directed that the eight students facing murder charges over the fire undergo mental assessments before the case proceeds to trial.

The students appeared virtually before Deputy Registrar Barbara Akinyi after the matter was transferred from the Naivasha courts to Kibera.

The court ordered that each of the accused students be examined by a child psychiatrist at Mathare Mental Hospital to determine their mental fitness.

In addition to the psychiatric evaluations, the court also directed that Children’s Officers conduct separate assessments of the minors.

The reports from both the psychiatrists and the Children’s Officers will be presented to the court before further hearings are scheduled.

The latest developments mark another important step in the government’s efforts to restore normal learning at Utumishi Girls Academy while investigations into the tragic fire continue.

Parents, education officials, and students will now be closely watching to see whether the promised reforms and infrastructure improvements are fully implemented in the coming months to guarantee the safety and well-being of all learners.

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