Nyumba Kumi boss tips teachers on keeping security in schools

Primary and secondary headteachers have been urged to build strategic partnerships, observe behaviour trends and share intelligence with neighbouring institutions in a bid to tame insecurity in schools.

And students have also been urged to share any information on security threats with schools management for immediate action.

Nyumba Kumi Initiative chairman Joseph Kaguthi yesterday challenged teachers to play their role in enhancing security in schools even as they pile pressure on the Government to secure their institutions.

Addressing the more than 7,000 secondary school heads in Mombasa, Mr Kaguthi said safety of children in school was no longer a responsibility of the Government alone.

"Security is a shared mandate of all persons living in Kenya," said Kaguthi.

He said teachers were the first line of students defence and asked them to be proactive.

"The more vigilant we are, the safer we get. It is time Kenyans stop thinking that policing is the work of the police alone," said Kaguthi.

He was enlightening the teachers on their role in community policing.

Information sharing

The former provincial commissioner said schools management must establish ways of enhancing information sharing between them and the students to effectively address insecurity.

"Tell the students that 'if you see, say. If you hear, say. If you suspect, say," said Kaguthi.

He also said school heads must also participate in making community policy decisions.

"You must also foster internal democracy in schools and promote good governance to enhance security in schools," said Kaguthi.

The challenge to school heads comes a day after the principals gathered in Mombasa proposed that school guards be given protective devices and security management equipment.

It also comes as some schools remained closed in some regions with teachers unions asking their members to withdraw services.

Newly recruited teachers have also failed to take up slots in some schools in the Northern region citing insecurity.

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi gazetted the Basic Education regulations that seek to enforce safety in schools as a responsibility of the Board of Management (BoM).

The school heads are the secretaries to BoMs.

The regulations say maters of safety, security and hygiene in institutions shall be a key responsibility of BoMs.