The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion has called on the government to establish a special unit of police that will guard teachers and learners in North Eastern.
Mr. Sossion said the special police unit should also be charged with the responsibility of providing security to school property following recent attacks by Al-Shabaab militants in schools in the Northern region.
Mr. Sossion in a statement said non-local teachers in Garissa, Wajir, Mandera Lamu and Tana River counties have become a soft target for terrorists.
He added that it’s the responsibility of the government to ensure teachers and learners are protected from any attack.
“In view of the persistent insecurity in North Eastern, North Rift and some parts in Lamu and Tana River which has left a trail of killings of teachers, destruction of properties, closure of schools and non-local teachers fleeing, we call on the Government to effect immediately in Teacher Management.”
“A teacher like any other professional has a right to enjoy peace, professional freedom, and protection. It is the duty of the government to offer the protection,” he said.
The Knut secretary-general also condemned last week’s Al-Shabaab attack at Qarsa Primary School in Wajir where three non-local teachers were killed.
“The murder of two teachers and a wife of one of the victims at Qarsa Primary School in Wajir on Friday morning by Al-Shabaab militants and the closure of schools in North Rift due to bandit attacks confirms the need to reform the management of teachers in these areas,” added Mr Sossion.
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