Teacher exodus hits Wajir County secondary schools hard
Non-native teachers in Wajir express concerns over their safety after two teachers were killed in a terrorist attack. The transfer of teachers from Wajir has created a crisis. PHOTO | BRUHAN MAKONG | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- February 16 terrorist attack on a school left three people dead, including two teachers.
- TSC responded by transferring its employees from Wajir.
- Secondary schools left with two to five teachers.
Several secondary schools in Wajir County are in a crisis following the exodus of non-native teachers from the region.
In an interview with the Nation, Wajir County Kenyan National Union of Teachers secretary Noor Bardad expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision to move the tutors, saying it had paralysed education.
ATTACK
The mass transfers were prompted by an attack at Qarsa Primary School in February that left three people dead, including two teachers.
Mr Bardad said the union and local Teachers Service Commission offices facilitated the transfer of 54 tutors from insecure areas but TSC later moved them from the county.
WORST AFFECTED
He added that most secondary schools had been left with a headteacher and deputy headteacher only.
“The situation in some school is so dire that children remain idle for the whole day,” he said.
Mr Bardad said the worst affected secondary schools were Wajir Bor, Khorof, Kharar, Tarbaj, Korondile, Buna Boys, Buna Girls, Bute Girls, Bute Boys and Leheley.
SILENCE
He added that the situation was not better in urban areas “whose schools have an average of four or five teachers”.
The unionist urged the government to break the silence on the education crisis in Wajir and post teachers to the region.
“We appeal to the government to tell us when our teachers will return,” he said.
RADICALISATION
Mr Bardad expressed fears that being idle, children could easily be radicalised and join extremist groups.
“The situation puts most children at a greater risk of being recruited by terrorist groups. We must bear in mind that the schools are near the Somali border,” he said.
He added that most secondary school graduates scored grades that could not allow them to join teacher training colleges or universities.
