A postmortem has confirmed that a Form Three student who died shortly after falling ill at Katoloni Secondary School in Machakos County succumbed to pneumonia. The case, alongside another sudden school death in Nakuru, has renewed pressure on schools to tighten health response systems for learners.
Consolata Nduku was rushed to Machakos Level 5 Hospital after her family was told she had suddenly taken ill at school. The family said she was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital’s emergency unit.
What the postmortem found
The postmortem was carried out on Tuesday at Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home in Machakos town. Family members and representatives from the school community, including Parents Teachers Association officials, witnessed the examination.
PTA chairperson Titus Mutuku said the doctor found pneumonia in the lungs and did not identify any other issue. Pneumonia is a lung infection that inflames air sacs and can rapidly become life-threatening if it is severe or treatment is delayed.
Family questions over communication and speed of response
Nduku’s grandmother said the family was not informed early enough. She said the first call they received reported that the student was sick, and shortly after, they were told she had died.
She also said it took time to secure transport during the early morning rush hour, which delayed the trip to hospital.
Calls for faster release of unwell learners
Family spokesperson Alphonse Muli said the illness may have been present for days before the symptoms became severe. He urged schools to release learners to parents as soon as they appear unwell.
He also raised concerns about a wider pattern in which parents are contacted too late, sometimes when a child is already critically ill.
Nakuru protest after Grade 9 learner dies
In Nakuru County, another family is mourning the death of a Grade 9 learner at Moi Comprehensive School. According to accounts in local reporting, the pupil allegedly collapsed and was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Parents later stormed Nakuru Level 5 Hospital and wheeled the body to the school compound in protest, demanding answers from the administration. The Star reported that police took more than an hour to calm the situation before the body was returned to the mortuary.
Investigations begin as debate grows
Hospital officials said teachers brought the Nakuru pupil to the facility when he was already dead, and investigations have been launched to establish what happened.
The two deaths have intensified debate on whether school health policies and emergency protocols should be reviewed, especially around early detection, timely parent notification, and rapid transport to medical care. For families, the common demand is clear: quicker action, clearer communication, and accountability when a child falls ill at school.
