Non-local teachers in terror prone areas to be moved

The Teachers Service Commission has directed that all non-local teachers in terror-prone areas be transferred to areas with less risks.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia said it’s the commission’s policy that non-locals in high risk areas should not be posted in interior regions.

Ms. Macharia further stated that they had held discussions with county education directors in three terror prone counties to determine the number of teachers at risk so that appropriate action can be taken.

This comes days after two non-local teachers were killed and another injured in a dawn attack by suspected Al-Shabaab militants at Qarsa Primary School in Wajir County.

The incident was followed by a mass exodus of non-local teachers who are now fearing for their lives, with the Kenya National Union of Teachers urging the government to make it a policy that local communities get teachers from the locality.

The TSC boss also lamented over the shortage of teachers in the country, citing before the education committee members that the country has a shortage of 104,000 teachers.

She called on the committee to help in addressing the issue and allocate enough funds to the commission to enable it employ more teachers.

Ms. Macharia also defended the mass transfers of teachers and warned the public against physically assaulting teachers who they don’t agree with.