Secret Meeting Reveals The Sh400M Racket Behind Nationwide School Fires

Education CS Fred Matiang’i

For the past weeks schools have been going up in flames with over 10,000 students sent home scored charged in courts for arson including teachers. Some students have been heavily punished, about 15 students who recently set ablazeLangata dormitories have been sent to Kamiti maximum prison where hardcore criminals are detained perhaps a move to send a severe warning to the rest.

As the cases of school fires continue to thrive one critical issue that has taken centre stage is as to who and what elements could be behind the fires. Several theories have been forthcoming including politics.

Initially, the fires started in Kisii the home ground of education CS Fredrick Matiang’i, and it was theorised that jealous local leaders wanted him out of the seat, and the fires would be used as a sign of discomfort and rebellion to his leadership in the education helm.

Another angle that was introduced came from KNUT officials that the strict and dictatorial policies that the CS introduced including overhauling the schools calendar and activities were to blame. KNUT Sec Gen Sossion is on record saying the students were unhappy and showed rejection to the stiff policies. KNUT has threatened to cease duty should the ministry go ahead with charging teachers for arson.

Talking of terrible policies, the CS has issued a warning that any school that burns it’s head teacher would automatically be demoted. This is a misinformed and exposing innocent teachers to victimisation. It doesn’t automatically mean the headteachers are part of the syndicate of anything an enemy would take advantage to sponsor a fire in individual school to have the headteacher demoted. That thought needs revision.

Ministry of education officials bundled themselves in a hotel in Naivasha on Monday for a secret crisis meeting with agenda of finding out the factors behind the fires. According to a mole speaking to Kenya Insights, the findings of the ministry’s investigations points fingers at the exams leaking cartel. The cartel is accurate on KCSE, which is just months away from starting.

The syndicate that includes KNEC officials, security officers, middlemen and teachers is said to be raking cool Sh400M annually on leaking the exams a menace that has dealt credibility blow to the exams council The KNEC’s New chairman and immediate former UoN VC Prof Magoha has promised to make this year’s exams leak proof and the cartel is scared to death with the reality of losing out on this year’s loot.

While theories continue to emerge more schools continue to go up in flames, an amicable solution should be up to salvage the education sector which is on fire.