Relocate children to other schools if you cannot guarantee teachers' security, Government told

ELDORET: Former Kenyan envoy to Australia says the government has shown incompetence in addressing insecurity in Northern Kenya and infringed on the children's rights to access education after non-resident teachers refused to go back to work.

Stephen Tarus said it's the government's responsibility to ensure there is continuity in learning of children in Mandera, Garissa and parts of Turkana and Baringo Counties by fully addressing insecurity concerns and agreeing with the teachers to go back.

Learning in most schools in Kapedo, Turkana South has not fully picked up as non-resident teachers failed to report back to work. Kapedo Mixed primary school head teacher Joseph Emoit said over 7 teachers hadn't reported back despite the commencement of the learning process.

"The Presidency and relevant authorities kept quiet throughout the two months December holiday after the attacks took place, teachers and pupils went to holiday and no new measures were implemented leading to the current stalemate," said Tarus.

He said the stalemate between teachers and the government is an infringement to the basic rights of children who should not at any point barred from accessing education.

Tarus challenged the presidency to relocate the children in the affected areas from other schools in secure areas and cater for their accommodation if they have failed to get the teachers back to work.

"We cannot deny our children the right to access education because it is the only opportunity to change their lives, let them be taken to other schools and the governments pay for their accommodation if they cannot be assured of their safety," said Tarus.

The envoy said it is difficult to assure teachers who have refused to go back that the areas were safe after they witnessed the December massacres as they were evacuated with government security agencies which are not available to get them back there at the moment.

He added that the government should adopt a moderate way of addressing the teachers instead of giving ultimatums since at the end it will be the children who will not get quality education.

"It is the right of teachers to be heard and legal parameters enshrined in the constitution followed in solving the situation, after all it the government to be blamed for insecurity and not the teachers who would have resumed work if they were assured of their safety," Tarus observed.

Speaking in reference to National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale's utterances to Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion, Tarus said key issues of security and education cannot be addressed in public forums but within constitutional institutions.

"It doesn't matter how much Duale shouts the responsibility to secure life and property stops with the president, it is a hide from responsibility to victimize teachers for refusing to get back to Northern Kenya at the same time miners were jailed for risking their lives by getting back to work there," Tarus stated.

 

He accused the jubilee government for dragging back the vital education sector in many ways and its unwillingness to secure the country and urged them to borrow a leaf from other East African Countries in securing borders.