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The phased reopening of Utumishi Girls Academy is set to start on Thursday after an eight-hour meeting involving parents, school administrators, and education officials to address safety concerns following a fatal dormitory fire that killed 16 students.
The meeting, held at the school in Nakuru County, focused on both immediate and long-term measures to reduce congestion in dormitories, strengthen safety standards, and improve water supply for students.
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Under the reopening schedule, Form Four learners will return first on Thursday, while students in the remaining classes are expected back next Monday.
The discussions came a month after the blaze destroyed one of the institution’s largest dormitories, creating major accommodation challenges.
As the meeting was underway, workers were seen putting up temporary structures within the school compound as part of emergency arrangements.
However, several parents opposed the proposal to accommodate students in tents, arguing that permanent solutions should be prioritized.
Some parents urged the school to maximize the use of dormitories that were not damaged by the fire, while others demanded that the government begin constructing a new dormitory within one month.
“The dormitories that were not affected by the fire should be fully utilized. We have seen tents being erected, but we do not support that arrangement,” said one parent.
“We should be given up to August, and if nothing is done by then, we will have to make our own decision. It is painful to see expensive projects being built elsewhere while children died here and proper dormitories have not been provided,” another parent said.
James Indimuli, the Rift Valley Regional Education Director, said the Ministry of Education has appointed a new principal as part of efforts to restore stability at the school.
“There should be nothing that strains the relationship between teachers, students, and parents. The Teachers Service Commission deploys qualified professionals. A new principal from a similar school is taking over, and we do not expect any disruption,” he said.
He added that the handover from the outgoing principal is expected to proceed smoothly and dismissed concerns about internal disagreements.
Authorities say the staggered reopening forms part of wider efforts to return the institution to normal operations as plans for rebuilding the destroyed dormitory continue.
