First Lady Janet Museveni, also the Minister for Education and Sports, has condoled with the families whose children were killed in a fire at Victory Nursery and Primary School in Busia town.

In the condolence message delivered by Mary Mutende, the commissioner private schools in the education ministry, Mrs Museveni said a total of shillings 20 million would enable the families to meet burial expenses.

Each of the four families received shillings 5 million while Davis Egessa a primary one child who escaped the ordeal with injuries, was given shillings 1 million.

The director of the education standards directorate Mary Frances Atima who represented the education ministry permanent secretary Ketty Lamaro, said they ordered for the immediate closure of the schools where fires have happened.

Atima said there is laxity among private school owners and stakeholders who have failed to implement the guidelines for operating boarding schools.

She said her team would soon comb the district to conduct an operation on illegal schools operating in the area.

The dead pupils were identified as P.5 pupil James Magero, Muhammad Abdul Alvin, 9 years old in P.3, John Richard Oburu in P.4, and Adero Makokha of P.6.

Wandera Kopliano, the father to James Magero, thanked Mrs Museveni for supporting the bereaved families.

Suspected arsonists set the boys’ dormitory housing 62 pupils ablaze at about 1:00 am on Monday.

Just when Busia residents were still coming to terms with Monday’s deadly fire, a dormitory at Bill and Polly, another private school in Busia town, was also burnt on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 19, but no children were hurt as they were in class at the time.

Following the incident, the authorities arrested Bill and Polly director Bosco Erupuni and the Busia Municipality inspector of schools Godfrey Barasa among others.

The other teachers from Bill and Polly who were arrested are John Adoa, Tony Okolong, and Paul Osiwi.