Two families in the North Rift are worried over mysterious death of their children in school in recent months.
The graves of the two students in their parents’ compounds remain a constant reminder of the once vibrant lives terminated, dreams and aspirations shattered.
The parents say the deaths resulted from negligence in the school entrusted to impart education and protect their children away from home.
On October 24, 2021, Beryl Jerop, a form one student at St Teresa of Avilla Girls in Ndalat, Nandi County, died in what postmortem results from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) say was a result of bacterial meningitis.
Jerop’s parents say as parents, they were never informed of their daughter’s sickness until her demise.
This has caused them a lot of pain as they say their child was a bright and healthy student. They only received information that she had died.
They reported the matter to Kabiyet Police Station but were later informed that the case was closed without their involvement.
“Does it mean my daughter had another parent who closed the case?” Jerop’s parents wondered.
“We have been left in the dark; we don’t know how our daughter got sick or even how she died.”
She said the school did not even attend her burial, yet they have still held on to her uniform.
A letter dated 10th January 2022 from the Director of the Public Prosecution says there was no negligence from the school.
Andrew Ndete of the Office of Director of Public Prosecution Nandi County said there was no evidence of professional or administrative negligence on the part of the school and the medical officer to warrant that they are charged under section 244 of the penal code.
According to Nandi County Police Commander Naomi Ichami, an inquest was opened by police after a report of the death of Jerop was made to the Kabiyet Police Station on 24th October in the year 2021.
“It is about a student who had fallen sick while in school and she was rushed to MTRH where she was pronounced dead on arrival,” said Ichami.
“The police opened the inquest file, compiled and forwarded the same to the Director of Public Prosecutions Office as the law requires it for advice.
The ODPP on 10th January 2022 advised the police to close the file for no further police action citing that he did not find the reason to charge the two for negligence,” added the Commander of Police.
Another family is in a similar situation in Turbo, miles away.
Over six years down the line, Emily Chelang’at, a form three student, succumbed to meningitis at Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School in South B, Nairobi.
Her mother, Sally Chepngetich Bett, is traumatized.
Every day, she wakes up at her rural home in Kosachei in Turbo Sub County to pray for the departed soul of her daughter at her graveyard, anticipating that justice will eventually be served.
“My daughter would be alive today if the school administration was concerned about seeking better medical care for her.
Sadly, my daughter was just sleeping on the bed without being given any medical attention. Her condition could have been managed if the school management had acted swiftly,” said Bett.
Similar to the family of the late Jerop, Bett says her daughter was neglected for over two weeks after she complained of severe head and backaches, which would later turn tragic and completely shatter her life.
“It’s sad that I only came to hear of my child being sick during the closing day when I had gone to pick her up as usual.
I was informed she was very ill and when I asked the matron about her whereabouts, she was rude and told me to go and look for my child,” she added.
“Every morning, I go to the grave to pray for my daughter Chelangat so that one day I might get justice.
My health has deteriorated since I sunk into depression after the death of my promising child,” she explained.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) is aware of the case, but no action has been taken against the school for negligence.
She bears the pain of loss and more so for lack of justice.
“I took the letter to the office and gave it to one a person who I was told was the head of the legal unit at the commission.
He assured me all was well and that the education committee had directed them to conduct an extensive investigation into the matter,” she says.
“They also obtained medical reports.”
“It is worrying that justice is yet to be realized six years down the line despite the assurance.
Every time the officer keeps telling me to visit their offices for follow-up day in and day out. It’s now six years. Why are they taking me in circles; let them inform us if something fishy is going on,” she adds.
The Kenya National Parent’s Association chairperson, Nicholas Maiyo, is concerned that parents are on their own fighting for justice as unknown forces conspire to suppress justice for the young souls and the agonizing parents.
“It’s unfortunate that despite parents trusting schools with our children, they end up neglecting us when our children die in their hands.
We are calling on the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to conduct thorough investigations and take stern action against those involved in the negligence that has led to the loss of these young lives,” said Maiyo.
Human rights organizations are now calling for a judicial inquiry to probe these deaths and many others that go unreported across the county.
Led by Kimutai Kirui, human rights activists based in Eldoret town, said: “The DPP should open an inquest and get more information about the death of the two students for us to know the circumstances under which they died.
We also want all students, school nurses and the hospital where the girls’ bodies were taken to record a statement for us to ascertain the cause of their death,” said Kirui.
