Stay put, CS tells Garissa teachers after attack

The government has asked teachers in public schools across Garissa county to stay put as security agencies intensify patrols to enhance their safety following the recent al Shabaab attack.

The January 26 attack claimed the life of a teacher at Hulugho Primary School, sparking fears within the teaching fraternity over a resurgence of the armed militia, which has roots in volatile Somalia.

Concerns over renewed attacks targeting non-local teachers prompted the government to act swiftly and deploy a multi-agency team to bolster security and ensure teachers continue offering services under safe conditions.

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The Ministry of Education said it is alive to the possibility that the Hulugho incident could trigger a mass exodus of teachers from the region, similar to previous years when al Shabaab attacks were more frequent.

The early morning attack at the school’s staff quarters also resulted in the death of the area chief, with surviving teachers at the station demanding immediate transfers to safer locations.

However, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba appealed to the teachers to remain at their posts, saying a review of the security situation on the ground indicates positive results.

"Our team from Interior and TSC went up there to find out what happened and we've been assured by the Ministry of Interior that all our teachers, not just in Northern Kenya but across the country, will continue being granted security so that they perform their duties," Ogamba said.

He spoke on Sunday outside the Aga Khan hospital after visiting three of the 26 teachers who were injured on Saturday after a matatu rammed into teachers participating in union elections at City Primary School, Ngara, Nairobi.

"I know that there are some teachers who are asking that they be moved. We have requested them that they stay put as the government is assuring them of security in the areas where they work."

Ogamba told the teachers the incident was isolated and that a repeat was unlikely, especially with enhanced security around them.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and other government officials condemned the attack, calling it a "heinous and cowardly act of terror", as a multi-agency security team launched a manhunt for the perpetrators.

The targeted, door-to-door nature of the Hulugho attack prompted the commission to call for a whole-of-society approach to address the security threat in the region, urging stakeholders, host communities and religious groups to support teachers in exercising their constitutional duty of providing education to all.

TSC chairperson Jamleck Muturi said the commission had deployed a team of senior officers to Garissa county to assess the situation on the ground and offer the necessary support to affected teachers.

"We wish to inform the public that the commission takes the safety and security of teachers seriously and will offer all the necessary support to improve the welfare of its employees," Muturi said.