NYERI: All primary and secondary schools in Nyeri County are initiating the formation of disaster management committees to address emergencies and school-related tragedies, Joseph Mwangi, the Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) of Nyeri, announced. This decision follows an alarming increase in student unrest and recent incidents, including a fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy.
According to Kenya News Agency, the initiative was agreed upon during a meeting with school heads, focusing on supplementing emergency measures with guidance and counseling for students. Joseph Mwangi emphasized the importance of incorporating counseling psychologists into these committees to address student discipline issues effectively.
The need for such measures has been underscored by recent occurrences where three boys’ secondary schools in Nyeri faced student rampages resulting in significant property damage. Mwangi stated, “We have agreed with all the head teachers that the committees should be in place by the end of October. The
composition will also include counseling psychologists because discipline goes down due to lack of counseling.”
The announcement was made during the 61st Mashujaa Day Celebrations at Dedan Kimathi Kamkunji Grounds in Nyeri, where the county fire department conducted fire drills to assess and improve public preparedness for fire emergencies. Mwangi noted plans to collaborate with the fire department to extend these drills across all eight sub-counties.
Additionally, the DCC addressed upcoming exam preparations, assuring that the government has implemented robust security measures for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education and the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment. Security personnel will be deployed to all examination centers to uphold exam integrity.
In another significant effort, Mwangi highlighted the county’s progress in combating illicit brews and drugs, claiming a 95 percent success rate. He commended the public’s role in this achievement and issued a stern warning to manufacturers of il
legal liquor, stating the government’s determination to continue legal actions until the vice is eradicated.