Haji threatens to charge TSC over teachers’ security

The DPP has threatened to charge the teachers' employer over failure to put in place policies that protect teachers in areas prone to insecurity.

Noordin Haji spoke on Monday during a TSC stakeholders engagement forum at a Garissa hotel.

Haji said it is the responsibility of the commission to find solutions to issues affecting teachers.

He said the commission's inaction has led to violation of children's right to education.

“I can charge the whole commission under Section 7 of the Children Act for refusing to give education to Kenyan children,” Haji said.

Since 2014, northeastern has experienced an exodus of non resident teachers due to insecurity.

Several leaders have said the governments' move to transfer the teachers denies children of their right to education.

Haji said Kenya should emulate Asian countries, where education is a matter of national security.

He said it is high time regions like Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Samburu and Turkana faced with terror threats, banditry or cattle rustling have a good access to education.

“It is not because I come from this region. I can sit in Nairobi and be comfortable. I can buy an air ticket and go elsewhere if I want but I have chosen not to because these are Kenyans.

"We want a stable, prosperous Kenya that is able and allows for each citizen to participate equally. We can only do that if we educate our population,” Haji said.

The DPP said failure to provide security for northeastern teachers means doing what the terrorists want.

“They want to de-school the population so that at the end they will do what they want and then we will become a burden to the rest of the country,” he said.

Haji said there is need for the creation of a department within TSC to deal with affirmative action for teachers especially in regions prone to insecurity.

"We need to find solutions to ease access to education. It is your responsibility to provide security to teachers.

"We cannot be collectively punished for actions that are not ours. The terrorists are coming from across the border and attacking Kenya not Northeastern, or Garissa, Wajir and Mandera,” he said.

Haji also said there is need to abolish the mass transfer policy of teachers.

“We cannot afford to have one teacher in one school. That is not acceptable in today’s Kenya,” he said.

Ijara MP Sophia Abdi said education was a basic right to every child and urged the government to look for a  solution.

She said special preference should be given to Form 4 leavers to allow them into teaching colleges with a D+ grade.

Garissa KNUT executive Abdirizack Hussein said that as long as the region continues to experience a shortage of teachers, then results will be poor.

He said there is need for an affirmative action plan for the region to address the problem.

TSC vice chairperson Leila Ali said the commission had given retired teachers a chance to be rehired on a three-year contract, to fill the gaps.

She said the tutors should apply for the programme and help out their communities.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)