Stop attacking teachers, union tells North-Eastern leaders

A trade union has called on political leaders from North-Eastern Kenya to stop orchestrated attacks on non-local teachers who are fleeing the region due to insecurity.

Instead, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) called on the leaders to work closely with the government to address the issue of insecurity and terror attacks rather than blaming the victims.

“As a union we are alarmed by the attacks on our teachers from political leaders who should be providing solutions to the problem,” said Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori.

Mr Misori said the union is not prepared to mourn even a single teacher that loses his or her life due to terror attacks.

The secretary-general said the union supports the decision by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to prioritise safety of teachers.

TSC last month transferred thousands of non-local teachers from Wajir, Mandera and Garissa counties following terror attacks targeting tutors who are non-locals.

The move came after militants on January 13 attacked the Kamuthe Resource Centre and killed three teachers.

However, leaders from the region protested the move, saying it has paralysed learning in the region and called for an urgent meeting to resolve the stand-off.

Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Aden Duale now wants the TSC and Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha to be summoned before Parliament to explain the measures the Ministry is taking to resolve the education crisis in the region.

Mr Duale promised to spearhead long-lasting and sustainable solutions to end executions of non-locals by Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants.

Governors, including Garissa's Ali Korane and Wajir's Mohamed Abdi, had threatened to sue the TSC for transferring all non-local teachers from the region.

Mr Abdi said the county bosses will also seek withdrawal of TSC's powers to transfer teachers and have the duty taken up by respective devolved units.