North Eastern Teachers Camp Outside TSC Offices Demanding Transfers Over Insecurity: "Hatuendi Kwa Kifo"

• Hundreds of teachers deployed to teach in North Eastern Kenya have camped outside the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) offices
• The teachers, who are from Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa counties, say they fear attacks by al-Shabaab militants
• TSC has said it is aware of the teachers' concerns and is working to address them, but teachers say they are not satisfied

Nairobi - Teachers deployed to teach in North Eastern Kenya have camped outside the Teachers Service Commission, demanding to be transferred to other stations.

According to a teacher who spoke to Citizen TV, he complained that the commission had taken them around in circles concerning their request to be transferred.

Case of a dead colleague

The teacher, who spoke in fluent Kiswahili, highlighted a case where one of their colleagues was allegedly killed by al-Shabaab assailants in the North-Eastern region.

"I am a teacher teaching in Mandera, North Eastern Kenya. We have been encountering security issues in the area, as you have learned from the media. One of us was killed, and when we tried looking for justice, the concerned authorities failed to address the issue, including the request to be transferred," the teacher explained.

Because the commission has been silent after many requests, the teacher said that is why they converged at the TSC headquarters.

"That is why we decided to assemble here and bring our complaints as teachers teaching in the region. We came here when schools were closed, but we were told to write a letter. We wrote the letters, and they promised to respond before schools were reopened. We waited, and until now, we have not received any response, so we decided to come," he said.

Biting insecurity in the wild North

He said after visiting the headquarters on Monday, August 28 and Tuesday, August 28, the commission sent two officers to speak to them, but whatever they said did not add up.

"Yesterday, they allowed us inside and sent two officers who talked to us, saying they had assessed the situation and that it was safe to get back there but we knew it was impossible. Today, they have denied us access to the building. We decided to stay here until our issues were addressed," they claimed.

To echo the same, Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Deputy Secretary General Hesbon Otieno said the government must address the security question because flying teachers always was not sustainable.

"The things that say the teacher should be escorted everywhere should be taken by plane when he goes where he is going. I think we are not helping education. The government should research properly to find out what causes the insecurity. If you take me by plane today when I get there, will you take care of me at home while I sleep at night?" Otieno posed.

The buck stops with the government

In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, Otieno said TSC is not a security organ and, therefore, cannot do anything to solve the security issue in the North Eastern region.

"The TSC is not a security organ, so it can do nothing about offering security rather than removing teachers from these places. It is the work of the Ministry of Interior to find ways of permanently making these places secure for everyone, teachers included," he stated.

The deputy secretary general also opined that flying teachers during closing and opening days was not sustainable because it is difficult for teachers to travel during emergencies.

"Flying teachers to places considered insecure every time they go for/come back from holidays is not sustainable. What about when the same teachers want to attend to some pressing issues back home in between? Will it be possible?" he posed.

He told TUKO.co.ke that all the commission should ensure that teachers who have applied to be redeployed are positively responded to.

"The delocalization policy has been done away with, and we are happy about this because it was punitive without value addition to quality education. TSC should ensure the rerouting of all affected teachers who have applied to be taken back," he advised.

The incident by teachers at the commission's headquarters came in the backdrop of the re-opening of schools.

Over 14k teachers moved to new stations

Early this year, at least 14,000 teachers began the new term in new schools.

This is after their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) approved their applications for regional and inter-regional transfers that have been authorised by the body's boss, Nancy Macharia.

The approvals come before the elapsing of the deadline given to TSC by the National Assembly's Committee on Education to reverse the delocalisation policy that saw teachers posted away from their homes.