Parents have asked the government to conduct inspections in public boarding schools to assess the learning environment and enforce health standards in the learning institutions.

This comes following the deaths of two students at Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High School.

The Ministry of Education should form a special task force that will move around inspecting the schools, said National Parents’ Association (NPA) chairman Silas Obuhatsa, adding that school managers had failed to follow the health and sanitation guidelines issued by the government.

“Teachers should ensure sanitation standards are upheld. Places where food is prepared and the dining halls should be clean. Water should be treated and water storage tanks cleaned regularly,” said Mr Obuhatsa.

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The Ministry of Health has initiated plans to form a multi-agency team that to assess the health and education standards in schools across the country.

Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha said the task force will comprise officials from the ministries of Health, Education, Environment, Water and Internal Security.

The CS, who visited Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls and Butere Boys high schools in Kakamega County on April 5, said health officials had taken samples of food and water for testing in government laboratories to find out the cause of infection at the school in Mukumu.

This came as preliminary tests from Kakamega County General Hospital where majority of the girls were taken for treatment indicated that the students suffered bacterial infection from contaminated food and water.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang urged school principals to curb overcrowding in dormitories, dining halls and classrooms and to adhere to learner safety standards.

“I appeal to all heads of learning institutions, school management committees and teachers to strictly adhere to the safety standards for the good of our children,” said Dr Kipsang at Butere Boys High School.

He urged parents and guardians to take a keen interest in the safety of their children.

“The safety of our children is central to the provision of quality education and,  apart from personal threats, insecurity for the children can emanate from inappropriate school facilities and infrastructure,” he said.

The High Court has removed Nicholas Maiyo as the chairman of the Kenya National Parents Association (NPA), and replaced him with Mr David Silas Obuhatsa.

Further, Justice Hedwig Ong’udi has revoked the Gazette Notice No.8777 dated May 31, 2022 which recognised Maiyo and others as officials of NPA.

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These other officials of NPA who had been degazetted alongside Maiyo include;Sarah Kagendo Mitambo, Jeremiah Nyakundi, Onesmus Johnes Kauwi, Patrick Lumumba Olali, Rose Otiak and Mohammed Awadh Omar.

The high court has also permanently barred Maiyo and his committee from transacting any business on behalf of parents nationally.

“A permanent order of injunction be and is hereby issued restraining Nicholas Maiyo, Sarah Kagendo Mitambo and Jeremiah Nyakundi whether by themselves, their proxies, agents and or servants from presenting themselves to the print, electronic media and general public as officials of the NPA and are further restrained from attending or participating in any Educational forums organized by either the Ministry of Education or any other education stakeholders,” ordered Justice Ong’udi

Maiyo has also been ordered to hand over within seven days from September 19,2022, bank accounts, the website, receipt books, office files, sponsorship agreements, membership registers and any other official documents of NPA including the Offices of NPA on the 13th Floor No.1305 at the Reinsurance Plaza, Taifa Road, Nairobi.

The judge also barred the Maiyo team from accessing the offices.Justice Ong’udi approved the leadership Obuhatsa who was gazetted via Gazette Notice No.10685 on September 9 ,2022.

Other gazetted officials alongside Obuhatsa  include Joseph Langat (deputy national chairman), Eskimos Kobia Kirumbi (secretary general), Caroline Madina (treasurer), Nancy Chege (deputy treasurer), Cecilia Cheptumo (organizing secretary), John Njiraini (member),Rogen Mwawasi (member), Absolom Mukuusi (member) and  Sammy Ndunda Mbae (chief executive officer-CEO).

The orders of Justice Ong’udi have been served on Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan,TSC boss Nancy Macharia,  Knut Secretary General Collins Oyuu his Kuppet counterpart Akelo Misori , the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) and all other relevant offices in the education ministry and departments.

The orders were made following a suit filed against Maiyo by the new team which has assumed office.

The National Elections Board (NEB) called for new elections of the NPA in May thisyear, after the High Court nullified the election of the former leadership.

The new election was conducted on August 27, 2022.According to the Judge, the decision by Ministry of Education to allow elections to proceed without giving others a chance to participate was a violation of their rights.

“The court is satisfied that other parents were never served with any notice for the election of the association’s office bearers and such, the election of the current officials was procedurally unfair and does not meet the constitutional test of reasonability,” ruled Justice Mrima.