Garissa: Non-local teachers from Hulugho Sub-County, Garissa County, are now seeking transfers after their colleague was killed in a terror attack. The teachers are appealing to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Ministry of Education to transfer them elsewhere for security reasons after suspected Al Shabaab militants stormed a local village and killed a teacher and local administrator.
According to Kenya News Agency, Stephen Musili, a teacher at Hulugho Primary School, was gunned down by militants at dawn on Monday, along with area chief Abdifatar Gani. The teachers, speaking to the press in Garissa town, expressed frustration over the lack of response from TSC to their safety concerns. They have been camping at the Garissa TSC offices since Monday, unwilling to return to Hulugho due to safety fears.
Led by Meshark Makwara from Hulugho Comprehensive School, the teachers are requesting compassionate leave to cope with the traumatic experience. They implore their employer to reassign them to safer locations. “We have agreed as a team that we will not go back there again because the place remains hostile and unsafe for non-local teachers,” said Makwara.
Caroline Kaluki, a teacher at Matarba Primary School, highlighted the dangers faced by non-local teachers, who often walk long distances to reach their schools. She called on the government to address their security concerns promptly. The teachers refuted claims that they exploit the teacher shortage to secure permanent positions before seeking transfers, asserting that their primary concern is safety.
Victor Onyango, another teacher from Hulugho Comprehensive School, emphasized their commitment to teaching anywhere in the country, provided their security is assured. “Some of us have stayed in this area for 7 years. It doesn’t add up to say we come here to get jobs and then run away,” he noted.
The incident has revived fears among teachers about their safety in the region. Since 2014, over 40 teachers have been killed in terror attacks in northeastern Kenya, leading to a mass exodus. The government has previously recalled retired local teachers to fill the resulting vacancies. Political leaders have advocated for local youth to enroll in teaching courses to address the teacher shortage.
