Alarm raised over Somalia pupils influx
What you need to know:
- The MPs had sought to know what the government was doing to restore security in the North Eastern region to enable teachers to attend to learners without fear of attacks.
- The senators visited Mandera border control post and saw a number of pupils from Somalia, wearing school uniform, freely crossing the border to go to schools in Kenya.
Pupils from Somalia have been crossing into Kenya to enjoy free primary education, Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang’ said Tuesday.
Dr Kipsang’ told the Parliamentary Committee on Education that the learners end up being registered as Kenyans.
“They enrol in our schools and end up in high schools across the country. Once they are 18 years, they acquire our identity cards. It is a problem we need to address,” Dr Kipsang’ said at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi.
He said that up to 40 per cent of school children in Mandera are from Somalia.
RESTORE SECURITY
The MPs had sought to know what the government was doing to restore security in the North Eastern region to enable teachers to attend to learners without fear of attacks.
The senate committee also observed that the government might not achieve much in its war against terrorism if entry of illegal immigrants at border points was not checked.
The senators visited Mandera border control post and saw a number of pupils from Somalia, wearing school uniform, freely crossing the border to go to schools in Kenya.
“Proximity to the Somali border is a serious security threat that requires urgent intervention. Construction is being done right into the no man’s land between the two countries,” said Mr Yusuf Haji, the senate security chairman.
The senate committee is chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly.
