Parents Push for More Security in Nairobi Boarding Schools

A coalition of parents and guardians in Nairobi is demanding urgent improvements in security and safety across boarding schools in the city, following a string of alarming incidents and a recent government directive to close the dormitories of ill-equipped institutions. The move by the Kenya Private Schools Association and parent-teacher forums comes in response to the Ministry of Education’s decision to shutter boarding sections in 348 primary schools nationwide—including 49 in Nairobi—for failing to meet safety and operational standards.
Parents say they have been living in fear, citing inadequate fire-safety measures, overcrowded dorms, poor supervision and lack of emergency preparedness in many boarding institutions. The government’s assessment found widespread breaches of the Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya (2008), including unsecured entry points and absence of CCTV monitoring. One parent whose child attends a boarding school in Eastlands shared: We send our children away believing they’ll be cared for—but the dormitories resemble old warehouses with no regard for safety. The coalition is now pressing for independent audits of boarding houses, mandatory security accreditation for schools, and regular updates to parents on compliance efforts.
Education stakeholders have responded cautiously: while most agree safety must be prioritised, school operators argue that compliance upgrades will require significant investment. Some boarding institutions say closure notices for their dorms were issued with little notice, leaving them scrambling to find alternative arrangements for students. The Ministry has signalled that schools wishing to reopen must re-apply for accreditation and prove compliance with safety regulations like fire drills, evacuation plans and proper staffing.
Looking ahead, the county education department plans to release a publicly accessible register of approved boarding facilities by early 2025, and introduce an inspection schedule tied to renewal of boarding licenses. Parents hope the enhanced oversight will restore confidence and ensure their children’s safety in residential school settings. If the reforms hold, Nairobi’s boarding school sector may become a model of accountability—reducing risk and rebuilding trust among the city’s families.