Learning has resumed in most Lamu schools under tight security from the National Police Reservists.
School attendance is however extremely low.
The institutions had been closed following recent attacks between January 2 and 9, that left 15 people dead.
At least six schools, including Juhudi, Kibaoni Shalom Academy, Holy Angels Academy, Mikinduni and Salama Primary schools had been closed.
Lamu West subcounty director of education John Nzinga said learning had resumed in all affected and neighbouring schools as of January 18.
Nzinga said his office had made plans to ensure pupils are counselled to enable them cope with the psychological trauma caused by the recent attacks.
“Some of the pupils lost parents in the attacks, some witnessed their parents being killed,” he said.
Nzinga put the pupil attendance at 50 per cent while teachers had responded to the reopening 100 per cent.
The education official said his office had made security plans with the county security teams to ensure schools in villages that were targeted in recent attacks are well guarded to enable learning to continue smoothly.
“All the affected schools are back in operation and learning is on. We still have issues with attendance which is still low but I believe that will adjust in the coming days. Security plans are in place,” Nzinga said.
He said schools have been instructed to ensure learners are released to go home in the afternoons to ensure they are not caught up in curfew hours.
The low attendance has been attributed to the fact that some learners are still held up in IDP camps.
The Shalom Academy proprietor Amon Chengo said 83 pupils out of 110 had turned up on Tuesday.
“All the teachers are here and we hope by the end week, all learners will be back,” Chengo said.
At Juhudi Primary School, learning has resumed despite the continued presence of IDPs in the school compound, some of which are learners and their families.
The school has made arrangements for learners to use the classes by day while the IDPs use the same rooms at night.
Only 86 pupils out of the total 264 had reported to school on Tuesday.
Each of these schools has been accorded two police reservists for security.
During his recent visit to the areas, Coast region commissioner John Elungata directed schools to be reopened saying the government had deployed enough security officers in the region.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
