Police to man Tot school after fatal bandit attack

The bus ferrying Tot High School students was attacked by suspected bandits. [Stephen Rutto, Standard]

Police officers have been deployed at Tot High School in Elgeyo Marakwet after its bus was attacked and a driver killed.

Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Mohamed Maalim said the officers were deployed to the school on Saturday and would operate day and night until calm is restored.

The deployment follows an attack by suspected bandits on school buses in Kerio Valley, which also left two teachers and 13 learners injured.

Mr Maalim yesterday said the school's principal would continue to run the institution's affairs, even as government ensures safety of the learners. He disputed reports that the principal had been arrested over the attack.

Following reports that Interior CS Fred Matiang'i had ordered the arrest of the principal, Maalim said the government was dealing with what was on the ground, and that the CS had to react because of what the criminals did to the students.

Maalim said the learners were traumatised and they did not want to worsen the situation. “We have allowed the principal to continue running the school and equally during this critical time when we are approaching the national examination calendar, the principal is a centre manager,” he added.

He said he called for a meeting with county commissioners in Rift Valley, the regional security intelligence committee and education officials on Thursday to ensure adequate security and logistical arrangements during the exams.

The Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner and his team have been visiting the school and talking to the learners.

A team of counsellors has been dispatched from the Ministry of Education to the school to provide psycho-social support to students and teachers. “They will be coming to us we facilitate their movement to Tot High School so that they attend to the students and the teaching fraternity," he said.