Nairobi, Feb. 20 -- Over-enrolment in a number of public schools has stretched basic facilities at the institutions to the limit, exposing learners to risks that have at times resulted in fatalities, Nation can reveal.

A Nation survey across the country shows many schools have flouted the Ministry of Education's health and safety guidelines due to a shocking lack of checks by its Quality and Assurance Department. Classrooms and dormitories are congested while inadequate sanitation facilities pose health risks, with the issue prevalent in low-income settlements in urban areas.

Some classes seen by Nation have 200 learners, well above the recommended 45 by the United Nations Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organisation, compromisi...