Members of Parliament will next week hold discussions with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over the fate of 129 teachers who were interdicted after they defied orders to resume duty in North Eastern citing security reasons.
The announcement was made by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, who chairs the National Assembly Committee on Education, during hearing of a petition by the affected teachers at County Hall in Nairobi on Thursday, October 19.
He said the meeting will take place on Tuesday to seek a solution to the stalemate after the teachers vowed not to return to the region that is prone to terrorism attacks and demanded to be transferred.
“When someone is insecure, you don’t interdict him. You listen to him. We have also talked to some of the leaders from the region and they’re supportive. We also ask the government to intensify the fight against insecurity,” Mr Melly said.
Although he ruled out mass transfer of the about 3,200 non-local teachers, Mr Melly said those at greatest risk should be transferred.
Yesterday, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu urged the teachers to return to their work stations, saying, the security situation in Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties had improved.
Police teargas teachers demanding transfers
During the meeting with the MPs, the teachers said that they are targeted for attacks because they don’t come from the region.
They alleged that, apart from the insecurity, the locals also discriminate against them because of their ethnic and religious background. They told the MPs they are ready to work in any other part of the country.
Mr Charles Achol, who read the petition on behalf of the other teachers, appealed for help from the committee to have the interdiction letters revoked, their salaries reinstated and the transfers effected. The attacks are linked to the al Shabaab terror group, which remains active along the border with Somalia and in the three counties.
Mr Achol said that teachers in some areas were forced to contribute money to pay National Police Reservists for protection following a meeting chaired by a deputy county commissioner.
He tabled M-Pesa messages as evidence of payment made to the official. The teachers also presented medical documents indicating that some of them have developed mental health issues.
Speaking during the 29 graduation ceremony at Kenya Institute of Special Education, Mr Machogu said the government has taken he necessary steps to enhance security in the region. “Given these positive developments, I strongly encourage teachers in northern Kenya to resume their duties in schools,” he said.
However, the teachers told the MPs that non-local teachers in far-flung rural areas are the most affected. They claimed that owners of residential buildings are unwilling to rent out their premises to them for fear of attacks by the militants. An intelligence report attached to the petition indicated that non-local teachers were a target of the militants.
“Report received indicate that AS (al-Shabaab) Amniyats have identified and cased soft targets within Habaswein and neighbouring sub-counties. The targets includes non-local teachers, the Kenya Power plant in Habaswein, civil servants, communication masts, police stations and buses plying Mandera-Wajir-Garissa-Nairobi routes,” reads the security brief by Wajir County Directorate of Criminal Investigations Officer Harrun Chabari dated September 24 2023.
Teachers Service Commission Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Another security brief addressed to Regional Criminal Investigations Officer Samson Kiptum warns of attacks in the North Eastern region.
“Based on previous infiltrations and casing parts of NER, it is likely that the militants may mete forays on non-indigenous/non-Muslim populace including teachers, medics, casual labourers and other government workers,” the brief reads.
Meanwhile, Mr Machogu revealed that, the IRLO Education Board has completed the processing of scholarship applications, revealing that approximately 125,000 applicants are vying for scholarships.
“We now have about 125,000 applicants for scholarship and IRLO Education Board, and we have done the processing.”
“We have gotten Sh10.3 billion for the IRLO Education Board and we are in the process of distributing the scholarships to the students in public universities,” Mr Machogu said.
