High Court Issues Strict Orders For Hillside Academy Endarasha Boarding Programme
The Nyeri High Court has ordered the closure of Hillside Endarasha Academy’s boarding facilities.
The Court expressed serious concerns about students’ safety and well-being just weeks after a deadly fire at the school killed 21 people.
The ruling was issued on Friday, October 11, in response to petitions from the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and other concerned groups.
Justice Isaac Ondigi, who presided over the case, stated that while the school could remain open, the dormitories posed a significant risk to the students’ health and safety.
“I do not find it necessary to bar the reopening of the school, noting that the academic term is near its end,” the judge remarked.
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— KHRC (@thekhrc) October 11, 2024
Nyeri High Court has ordered the immediate closure of a boarding facility at Hillside Endarasha Academy, citing serious concerns over the safety and health of pupils.
The decision follows a petition by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), David Karani, and the… pic.twitter.com/ZsdsqdzQcE
However, he determined that there was a credible threat to the welfare of the minors and ordered that no students be housed at the boarding facilities until extensive assessments are done.
This order comes after a fire broke out in one of the school’s dormitories in the Kieni constituency on September 5, killing 21 boys and injuring more than a dozen others.
The cause of the fire is unknown, prompting calls for more thorough investigations and accountability from the school administration.
The school, which reopened on Wednesday after a month-long closure, did not expect to close its boarding facilities so quickly.
The Ministry of Education approved the school’s resumption of operations after quality assurance officers conducted assessments and determined that students could safely return.
However, the court’s recent decision calls that assurance into question, as structural issues remain unresolved.
On the night of the fire, the boarding facility housed 152 boys, just four short of its maximum capacity of 156.
While renovation work on the damaged dormitory continues, the court’s decision requires the school to address safety concerns more comprehensively before students can return to any of the dormitories.
The court also ordered the school to submit reports on health and safety measures, as well as the structural integrity of the dormitories, to the appropriate parties by October 16.
Failure to comply could result in harsher penalties or a longer closure of the boarding facilities.
The tragedy sparked a public outcry, with organizations like the KHRC and the Elimu Bora Working Group calling for action to protect students.
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These organisations, along with a concerned parent, David Karani, filed the petition, claiming that the school was not fully equipped to ensure student safety despite efforts to repair the damage.
Jane Njogu, Nyeri County’s Director of Education, had previously assured parents that significant repairs had been completed.
She observed that masons were working around the clock to ensure that everything was ready for the students’ return.
“They are moving very fast; they have done a lot of constructions and reconstructions to ensure that the learners are comfortable when they come back to school,” Njogu stated.
High Court Issues Strict Orders For Hillside Academy Endarasha Boarding Programme
