NTV's Burnt & Forgotten Series, A painful reminder of non-existence policies on fire safety

 

Watching NTV series Burning and Forgotten I cannot help but feel the pain of the two boys burnt to a level the experts refers to as third degree burn. The Tala Boys students are a classical example of the green area of fire safety that is neglected in terms of policy formulation. The only known policy document for schools implementation is the safety standards manual first published in April 2008. This document clearly states the standards for fire safety for a dormitory and the basic requirements but sadly, the manual seemed not to find its way to the schools and remain just another good paper for our Libraries.


Compensation

Fire is a risk and most insurance companies have considered this and have even structured an insurance product for organization that includes compensation in case of fire risks. The question that requires an answer is whether there is a policy that requires schools to be insured. My guess will as good as yours. Any school in Kenya today should have an insurance cover not only geared towards protecting its property but also life in the name of students that makes what a school is. The closes public schools in Kenya have gone in insuring their students is during internship commonly referred to as industrial attachment when they join college and this becomes a mandatory requirement to proceed with the industrial attachment. For most schools this writer has visited, fire safety has taken a back seat and some of the managers especially in rural schools the situations is in dare need. A study conducted in 2011 by experts from the Ministry of Labour's Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services reported that the public universities status of fire safety is a time-bomb and if not checked would result in a worse disaster should worst happen.

Way forward

The schools safety standard is one of best documents on safety regulations for schools produced by the then Ministry of Education headed by the able Professor Sam Ongeri. This document should be submitted to schools as a policy directive and awareness created in schools to curb disasters resulting in series like "Burnt & Forgotten". The safety committee as suggested should be trained on basic fire safety to create the same awareness to students. This committee should encourage the creation of "Safety Champions" in schools. This way standards will be implemented to a level degree that is commendable.

It is very sad to watch the two boys in massive pain, yet there is no one to compensate nor come to their aid and that of their parents with the school providing a paltry 15000/= for medical support. There should be a policy in place to compel all day and boarding schools to insure their students. In essence the school has nothing to loose but as a value addition to the learning activities in a safety, secure and friendly environment where risks arising from the vicinity of the school hampering a student life like the two boys is compensated for. The policy formulators and curriculum development officers should consult with the stakeholders in the education sector to introduce safety studies as part of a student life. Private schools have perfected this venture through the physical education famously reffered to as PE by introducing safety studies during this session. 

Researchers should also be encouraged to study more student behavior in relation to safety in their school environment.

The writer is a PhD student at JKUAT University