Burning the future: Why school arson is a national emergency

In recent weeks, over 70 secondary schools in Kenya have been affected by unrest, strikes, or suspected arson attacks. The tragedy reached its worst at Utumishi Girls Academy, where a dormitory fire killed young learners and injured many others. Author Isaiah Wakindiki, Vice Chancellor of KCA University, sees this as a national crisis reflecting deeper issues in the education system, which has shifted from character formation to competitive survival.