nairobi kenya education minister say monday arson blame weekend blaze kill nine pupils girls board school part rise trend deliberate school fire accident arson minister fred matiang say fire saturday moi girls school nairobi kenya red cross say twitter fee three school fire report different part country monday many fire set students protest harsh discipline poor teach corruption say canadian elizabeth cooper assistant professor international study simon fraser university spend four years research subject students interview complain poor food scarce teach materials harsh teachers management ignore concern many compare school prison say destroy school could go home one case boys drain water tank cut phone line set fire principal car push home angry collect money parent three years school bus buy pupil need hospital treatment principal drive charge family say another case girls smear butter curtain bed set alight cooper say fire peak exams mock exams students always say one listen concern around 350 kenyan school catch fire 2015 2016 accord government compare accord one academic source 76 fire 2011 2013. clear many fire deliberate number 2014 available cooper say school set fire dismiss principals afterward successful prosecutions kenya frequently see deadly protest include presidential elections hold last month cooper say students sometimes cite violent protest slum residents university students successfully publicize cause seek emulate students learn authorities respond present threat say one way voiceless citizens hear matiang say arson attack also relate fight staff appointments school senior position bring financial reward fire face sector relate kind thing politicization school headship politicization responsibility education sector right say televise press conference kenya east africa large economy unemployment high corruption rife make life difficult many ordinary people control school mean government salary opportunity extort extra money students parent fee charge arson cause fire kenyan school kill nine girls minister