Tonga Omonuri primary boarding school has been closed down for two weeks following separate fire incidents which have razed down two dormitories in a span of less than two weeks.
Nyamira South Sub County Commissioner (DCC) Julius Otieno stated that the decision to close the school immediately was reached after rigorous consultation with all relevant stakeholders in order to make quick plans on how the school will be reorganized and mitigation measures put in place to avoid another possible incident.
“The school has been closed with immediate effect till 14th February for class 4 and 8 and 22nd February for the rest of the school as we put measures in place on how the pupils will be accommodated, when they come back, even as we investigate the root cause of these fires,” Otieno stated.
“The school’s Board of Management will be disbanded and transfers of some administrators effected in consultation with the Sub County Teachers Service (TSC) office to ensure the school operates uninterrupted once pupils come back to school in a bid to contain similar incidents,” Mr. Otieno said.
Tonga Omonuri Primary Boarding School experienced its first fire incident on 27 January month where a 150-capacity boy’s dormitory was burnt down and Sunday night yet another fire incident razed down another 150-capacity boy’s dormitory with nothing salvaged from the two incidents.
The area Member of Parliament, Vincent Kemosi visited the school and donated 100 mattresses and blankets and pledged to reconstruct the previous burnt dormitory only for it to experience another fire incident.
by Deborah Bochere/Dan Nyamanga
