The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has reinstated primary and secondary school tutors it interdicted months ago and ordered them back to their schools in Northeastern region from January 8, 2024.
The non-local teachers had refused to return to their schools, citing insecurity.
The teachers have been seeking transfer from Wajir, Mandera and Garissa counties since August following al-Shabaab threats and attacks.
The TSC then directed the teachers to their workstations by September 7, 2023, with the threat of disciplinary action.
Some of the teachers returned to their schools but about 100 remained adamant, insisting they would not return.
The commission interdicted those who had refused to return to their work stations and stopped their salaries.
That was despite the National Assembly telling the teachers’ employer from taking action against the group.
National Assembly Education Committee chairman, Julius Melly, told TSC not to interdict or stop their salaries.
Two weeks ago, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, waded into the matter. Mr Gachagua said the teachers who fled the region should not be disciplined.
During the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Annual Delegates Conference in Nairobi, Mr Gachagua said he would talk to the TSC and urge it not to reprimand the teachers in question.
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“When there was a problem with teachers in northern Kenya and some people were pushing for their dismissal, I told the TSC not to take such an action. People running for their lives need not be punished,” Mr Gachagua said.
The DP added that the government has taken measures to ensure the lives of teachers and other residents of Northeastern are protected.
However, the teachers still received letters from the commission ordering them back to their schools.
“It has been decided that you be posted to Mandera County with effect from January, 8, 2024. You are expected to report to the new station within 14 days from the effective date for the assignment of duties. By a copy of this letter, the TSC County Director is requested to inform this office on the date you report for duty,” says a letter to a teacher from the commission dated December 22, 2023.
The TSC drafted the letters after hearing the cases of the teachers at its headquarters in Nairobi last week.
“In case of an appeal, you are required to report to your new station as you await the decision of the commission,” the letter goes on.
Teachers Service Commission Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Some of the teachers interviewed by the Sunday Nation vowed not to return to their schools as ordered.
“TSC should not expect me to go back there. I escaped death by a whisker during an attack. Why would I want to put God to test again? If the region is safe as we are being told, let the TSC headquarters be transferred to Garrisa, Mandera or Wajir,” a teacher said.
The father of three added that if the commission insists on him returning to Mandera, he would resign and find another job.
The tutor was recruited in 2021 and sent to a school that is just a few kilometres from the Somalia border.
He added that life became unbearable when al-Shabaab fighters began attacking the area, specifically targeting non-locals.
The teacher said he almost died in July 2023 when al-Shabaab militants raided the area he lived, killing his colleague and several police officers based at Wargadud station.
“The colleague ran to the police station but my students hid me in the village,” he said.
A total of 3,227 non-local teachers are working in the three Northeastern counties, according to the TSC.
Mandera County has 1,387 locals teaching in primary and secondary school.
The county also has 889 non-local teachers. TSC employees teaching in Mandera are 2,276.
A total of 1,221 of the 2,223 teachers stationed in Wajir County are non-locals while Garissa has 808 locals and 1,136 teachers from other regions.
Knut Secretary General, Collins Oyuu, has been urging leaders in Wajir, Mandera and Garissa as well as the national government to come up with a strategy of employing individuals from the region as teachers.
