The Kenya National Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) North Rift region branch wants the State to guarantee security of teachers and students in learning institutions in the region.
Speaking at a consultative teacher’s forum at a hotel in Eldoret town on Friday, the region KUPPET Chairman Julius Korir said that security has not be heightened in schools.
Korir said that teachers and students especially in boarding schools have raised concerns over the government’s laxity on improving their security.
Chairman Korir said that following the Garissa University attack early last month where 148 students were killed by armed Al-Shabaab militants, the State must move with speed to guarantee security of all schools.
“It is a concern that after the Garissa attack where students were massacred, the State is reluctant to take precaution measures and boost security in most schools,” said Korir.
He said that nothing should be taken for granted adding that they will demand deployment of armed Police officers to schools in the region.
Korir said that the State should learn from previous experiences and put in place preventive measures adding that waiting to react to attacks is never the best, since such make people loose their lives.
He also said that the union is consulting with county governments and schools board of directors to see how security can be boosted.
The Chairman said that the State should now invest heavily in security and adopt effective strategies that will guarantee security of all Kenyans.
The KUPPET Chairman further urged teachers in the region to be active and raise their concerns to the State whenever they feel it is necessary to do so noting that teachers are facing myriad of challenges which the national government needs to address.
Meanwhile, security has been heightened at the Moi University, Eldoret Campus as the institution prepares to receive and admit students of the Garissa University College attack.
According to the University senior official who sought to remain anonymous, all plans to receive the students have been completed.
At least 700 students of the Garissa University will be admitted at the Moi University following a terror attack of the college early April.
“We expect to start admitting the students from Wednesday next week,” said the official.
Early this week, Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Abdi Mohammed said 16 Police officers have been deployed at the institution to provide security.