Ruiru Girls High School grapples with dormitory congestion as enrolment rises

Ruiru Girls High School in Kiambu County is grappling with severe congestion in its dormitories, with some facilities accommodating twice the number of students they were designed to hold.

School Principal Sophie Waithera said the school has maintained the top position in Ruiru Sub-County in national examinations since 2016, but its growing enrolment has placed a strain on existing infrastructure.

She cited Longonot Dormitory, which was condemned for renovation after it was found to be accommodating 101 students against the recommended capacity of 50.

“Our school has maintained the top position in Ruiru Sub-County in national exams since 2016, but despite this, we have challenges of congestion. For instance, the Longonot Dormitory, which was condemned for renovation, housed 101 students instead of 50,” Waithera said.

The principal was speaking when Ruiru MP Simon King’ara inspected the ongoing renovation of the dormitory, which is being undertaken through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).

Waithera said the school, which is the only public institution in Ruiru Sub-County offering boarding facilities, has four hostels accommodating about 450 girls out of a total enrolment of 916 students. The remaining learners are day scholars.

She said the school had also taken measures to enhance fire safety, including installing hose reels, fire extinguishers and buckets of sand to help contain possible outbreaks.

The principal further appealed to parents to take a more active role in guiding their children on discipline and the importance of protecting school property, following incidents of student unrest reported at the beginning of the second term.

“It is high time parents started talking to their children about discipline issues and the need to safeguard school facilities. Some of the parents in this school were also students here. If they had destroyed it, perhaps their children would not be here,” she said.

King’ara said the constituency had committed resources towards expanding schools to cope with rising enrolment, which he attributed partly to the construction of more than 1,000 affordable housing units in the area.

He said at least five new schools had been established by the national government to ease pressure on existing institutions as the population continues to grow.

The MP also urged parents to work closely with teachers in instilling discipline among learners, warning that destruction of school property could put students’ lives at risk.

King’ara, meanwhile, said he would focus on development rather than politics, arguing that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had not yet officially opened the campaign period.

“Until IEBC gives the go-ahead for campaigns, I have no business playing politics. I will only be serving the people who elected me,” he said.