Several schools in Wajir County are likely to be closed by Monday after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) transfered non -local teachers from the region following an attack on February 16 at Qarsa Primary School by suspected Al-Shabaab militants that left three people dead.
Among the victims was a teacher and a wife of one of them.
Addressing journalists in Wajir Town the county’s Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary Noor Bardad said that by Saturday, over 200 teachers had been transferred, and he expressed fears that several schools will be forced to close from Monday due to lack of teachers.
Mr Bardad further wondered why the TSC was transferring teachers from areas that are not located at the border including, Wajir North, Eldas and Wajir West.
HEAD TEACHER ONLY
He gave an example of Batalu Primary School which he said was only has the head teacher remaining after all the other teachers left.
“I am really afraid that by Monday we will be forced to close some schools since most of them now lack teachers,” he said.
He criticised the TSC for the move, saying that the attack on Qarsa was not meant to victimise any community but was an unfortunate incident carried out by the Somali-based Al-Shabaab militant group.
He added that they have tried their best to address the issue of insecurity of teachers by transferring 54 of them from border areas to safer areas but TSC has continued to transfer them without consultation or following proper channels.
“What have our children done to deserve such treatment? Just like other Kenyan children they are entitled to the right to education,” he said.
Wajir Knut chairman Adan Ibrahim accused TSC of dividing the teachers according to race and religion, saying the move is hurting the school-going children in the county.
RIGHT TO EDUCATION
“We protest the draconian move by TSC since it is dividing the teachers and in turn denying the innocent children right to education,” he said.
He called on the president to intervene on the situation saying it is now at a ‘delicate’ stage.
Meanwhile Wajir governor Mohamed Abdi urged the non-local teachers who are still in the county to stay saying that plans were underway to ensure that they remain safe while carrying out their duties.
“I wish to take this chance to appeal to the non-local teachers who are still around to continue working since we are going to ensure that their safety is given first priority,” said the governor.
Mr Abdi also condemned the recent incident where a Form One student was gang-raped by three people, saying the perpetrators of the act will be brought to book.
The governor further said that they were expecting a visit by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i next week where the security situation will top the agenda.