By George Bukenya
Preliminary findings have revealed that Victoria Nursery and Primary School in Busia Municipality,Busia District were fire outbreak killed four pupils was operating the boarding section illegally and was not even adhering to the minimum standards as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Sports.
Ms Frances Atima the Director at the ministry in charge of Education Standards said that she visited the school the following day and found out that it was not licensed to operate as a boarding school.
“I want to inform the public that Victoria Nursery and Primary School had no permission from the ministry to also run the boarding facility, besides that, the dormitories were in very poor conditions such as poor ventilations and sanitary, triple decker and high levels of congestion with 63 pupils in each which violets the minimum required standards.’’ Ms Atima stated.
She also said that the matrons she talked to confessed that they had not gone to any school and even attained simple training yet this is also a requirement and the dormitories had one exit door.
In the second school were fire also gutted dormitories, was operating both day and boarding illegally fortunately there was no death reported here because the fire outbreak occurred during day time.
The out of the four pupils who lost lives, 2 children were 11 years old, 1 was 14 years and 1 the youngest was only 8 and she was in p3. The were burnt to ashes and by press time there parents had been called for DNA such that they can receive the remains of their respective children for burial.
Atim also said that the time the ministry of Education team arrived at the scene, Police had already arrested and detained the school director Fred Wabwire, the matron and the security guard.
However, police findings suggest that a total of 62 pupils in the privately-owned school, from Primary Three to Primary Seven were asleep when the fire started.
The Minister of State Joyce Kadocu has said that the Ministry has issued a directive to the commissioners and District Education Officers to close all ECD schools that are having a boarding section.
“The policy prohibits Nursery and Primary schools to operate boarding sections accept for an instance where it’s inevitable and the school’s manager should seek permission from the line Ministry permanent secretary.” Hon. Kadocu said.
She further said; “the Directorate of Standards will ensure that this directive is implemented and managers have been communicated to.”
The minister also said that government as extended a condolence fee of UGX 5 millions for each family that lost a child for burial preparations and for the one who sustained injuries also received 1 million.
The Territorial police cited suspected arson in the beginning of week fire that gutted the premises of Victory Nursery and Primary School in Busia District.