Northern Non-local Teachers Demand KDF Escort Before Resuming Duties
Non-local teachers deployed in northern Kenya are demanding security from the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) before going to their posts after their appeal for transfers to other regions was rejected.
They demanded transfer out of the region through the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), alleging frequent attacks by suspected al-Shabaab terrorists.
Kuppet Deputy Secretary-General, Moses Nthurima, highlighted the significant security risks that expatriate teachers are encountering due to the presence of al-Shabaab.
He pointed out that al-Shabaab has been responsible for the deaths of 40 teachers over the past decade, with four of these tragic incidents occurring within the past two months alone.
ALSO READ: North-Eastern Teachers Protest at TSC Offices, Demand Transfers Over Al-Shabaab Threats
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) categorizes northern Kenya as a “hard-to-staff” region, where institutions have inadequate staff and vacancy announcements usually attract few applications.
Mr. Nthurima urged the Cabinet Secretary for Internal Security, Prof. Kithure Kindiki, to create a dedicated KDF (Kenya Defense Forces) unit responsible for escorting teachers during their travels in the region.
This unit’s primary role would be to safeguard teachers in shanty settlements and guarantee their security.
Mr. Nthurima emphasized that the teachers shouldn’t be responsible for the costs incurred as a result of security lapses.
ALSO READ: Non-Local Teachers Moved to Safer Areas Following Terrorist Threats in North Eastern
He stated that the union had unsuccessfully lobbied the TSC to relocate the teachers, some of whom have been camping out at the commission’s headquarters and have not returned to their schools in the three weeks since they opened.
The teachers were informed last week that their applications had been denied because there were no appropriate replacements.
They were instructed to report to their respective stations, or face disciplinary action. The majority of the instructors are from Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa counties.
Since the end of last year, the TSC has stated that it would redeploy instructors transferred under the de-localization policy.
ALSO READ: Kindiki Asks TSC to Shorten Services of Non-Local Teachers in North-Eastern
The commission had received 46,962 transfer petitions from secondary school teachers by June 2023, but had only processed 20,055 of them due to a lack of replacements or vacancies in their preferred stations.
Only 17,942 of the 35,959 primary school teachers who requested a transfer were successful. Other post-secondary institutions received 10,967 applications, but only 2,113 were accepted.
Northern Non-local Teachers Demand KDF Escort Before Resuming Duties
