This archive report was first published on 24 September 2019.
On September 24, 2019, a devastating incident occurred at Precious Talents Top School in Dagoretti, Nairobi, where a classroom collapsed, claiming the lives of seven pupils and injuring at least 64 others.
Cracks on the walls, tilted beams, and sagging roofs had been reported to the school's authority by vigilant pupils, but no action was taken. The pupils had experienced tremors in the shaky classrooms, leaving them traumatized.
Julius Wainaina and Sheryl Njeri, class five pupils, had alerted their teachers about the risks, but their warnings were ignored. 'About a week ago, we saw some cracks in some classes and told the teachers about it. She promised to tell the head teacher, but nothing was done,' Wainaina said.
At least 60 pupils were treated and discharged from the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), while two were in critical condition. Hospital acting Chief Executive Officer Evanson Kamuri said they received 64 casualties, with most sustaining soft tissue injuries on the face, lips, and head.
Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie thanked the people of Ngando Ward for their quick response, which minimized casualties. He announced that the Government would put up a new school in the area.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha ordered the pupils to stay at home to pave the way for investigations to find the root cause of the tragedy. Prof Alfred Omenya, a specialist in green architecture and sustainable urbanism, visited the school and noted several technical issues with the collapsed building, including poor construction quality, inadequate foundation, and feeble timber structure.
