Reopen schools, Lamu parents tell officials

What you need to know:

  • Learning is yet to resume at Mangai, Basuba, Milimani and Mararani primary schools.
  • The schools were shut down in 2014 and 2015 following constant raids on villagers by Al-Shabaab terrorists.
  • Basuba Ward residents say many pupils dropped out of school.
  • Ms Aisha Gurba asked the government to send more security agents to the area for learning to resume.

Parents and pupils in Basuba Ward, Lamu East Sub-County, are in the dark concerning four schools closed two years ago due to insecurity.

Learning is yet to resume at Mangai, Basuba, Milimani and Mararani primary schools.

The schools were shut down in 2014 and 2015 following constant raids on villagers by Al-Shabaab terrorists.

There is no sign of the institutions reopening despite constant assurances of security from the police and military.

At the peak of the terror attacks, teachers at various schools in Basuba fled for their lives and did not return.

Residents say many pupils dropped out of school. The few who did not usually walk for many kilometres to schools in the Kiunga border town.

Parents interviewed on Monday said they were worried because their children were missing out on education.

They called on the county and national governments to solve the problem quickly.

Basuba village resident Tore Ware urged the government to devise strategies that would rescue education in the region.

COMMUNITY MARGINALISED

“Our Boni community has been marginalised for far too long. I am worried that if authorities don’t take things seriously and reopen the schools, there is no way we will get out of the marginalisation bracket,” said Mr Ware.

Ms Aisha Gurba asked the government to send more security agents to the area for learning to resume.

She said it was disheartening to see schools deserted while learning was going on in other parts of Kenya.

“Things are not looking up. Our children cannot go to school even if they want to. There are no teachers and schools are deserted. We want young people here to get education. It is their right,” said Ms Gurba.

In early February, the county government transferred 150 pupils from terror-prone areas of Basuba to Mokowe Arid Zone Boarding Primary School.

However, the residents said that was not solving much since the centre could not accommodate all the affected learners. Ms Hirji Abdullahi said many children were still at home.

“We just want security intensified so that our teachers can return,” she said.

Contacted, Lamu Education executive Kaviha Khamis said the county government had sent ECDE teachers to Basuba and that plans were on to have more learners evacuated to more secure locations before next year.

“The Teachers Service Commission insists on not posting its workers to Basuba,” he told the Nation.

“Since we can’t force the matter, we have decided to organise for learners to be taken from Basuba to schools in other parts, including Mokowe and Kiunga.”