Sigalame High School in Busia has been closed indefinitely after a fire destroyed a dormitory on Wednesday at dawn.
The fire broke out while students were sleeping.
This was the third dormitory to be destroyed by fire at the school in less than a month.
No one was injured during the three fire incidents. Students, however, lost their belongings in all three incidents.
Investigations into the incident have been launched. The school has been closed indefinitely as authorities probe the cause of the fires.
In the latest incident, a teacher said the fire started under the bed of one of the students. It is not yet clear what triggered the fire.
The first time the national school located in Funyula subcounty experienced a fire incident was on July 26 when schools reopened for the first term.
The cause of the fire that razed down a dormitory is still not known.
The second fire happened two weeks later. Another dormitory was razed down.
Nambale MP John Bunyasi on Wednesday termed the fire incidents disturbing.
“I am greatly disturbed by the fire menace at the Sigalame national school. That the school has had fire incidences for the third time in a row now is not something to be left to the school and even community as it is now,” the MP said.
“Sigalame is one of the many schools in Busia that has had and continues to have potential to perform and produce good community, national and international folks.”
“I strongly urge the school management, the community, local administration and area leaders to have a sit down and bring this to an end. You burn a school, you burn the future.”
Kuppet Busia branch executive Moffats Okisai said thorough investigations should be conducted to unearth the cause of the fires.
He said the recurring incidents have disrupted the school’s academic calendar.
In mid-August, after the second fire, Okisai called on all education stakeholders to find a lasting solution to school fires.
He said fire incidents in learning institutions need to be investigated both internally and externally.
Other schools that have suffered fire incidents in the county since last month include John Osogo Secondary School, where the principal’s office was partially burnt on Wednesday night, Nambale Boys High School and Namboboto Secondary School.
Edited by A.N
