The government has assured parents in the North Rift Valley region areas affected by banditry of enough security ahead of 2024 school calendar.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday appealed to parents to return their children to school next month.
He urged parents and guardians to ignore inciters and refuse to be scared by retrogressive practices like livestock theft.
"I want to assure you all parents; your children are safe and their studies will not be interrupted by bandits. All schools will be under 24-hour guarded security by our specialised officers and the National Police Reservists," Kindiki stated.
The CS was speaking during a tour at Cheptulel Boys Secondary School and Sapulmoi Primary School in Sigor Constituency in West Pokot County.
Kindki emphasised that President William Ruto's instructions were very clear on the reopening of schools which had been temporarily closed due to insecurity posed by bandits and other armed criminals.
"We will ensure that all schools whose infrastructure was vandalised by bandits are rehabilitated and ready for use by January 8 2024 when the first term of the 2024 academic kicks off," he noted.
The progressive pacification of spaces where marauding gangs of armed bandits had terrorised Kenyans in the North Rift Valley Region for long gives way to rehabilitation of schools and other social amenities abandoned or destroyed by bandit attacks.
The government through the Interior Ministry is rehabilitating nine schools in West Pokot; Cheptulel Boys Secondary School, Chesegon, Cheptulel, Sapulmoi, Lonyangalem, Kour, Songok and Karon Primary Schools and Kisaa ECD School.
Reconstruction is ongoing in 30 schools across the North Rift Valley Region.
Earlier this month,the Interior boss said the government had enhanced security in the affected regions, especially in the border areas where West Pokot intersects with Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet and Turkana Counties.
"The government will rehabilitate schools that were abandoned due to insecurity posed by bandit attacks in West Pokot County," Kindiki stated.
In May, the government allocated Sh100 million for the rehabilitation of about 50 schools that were damaged by bandits.
The schools were in Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu and Laikipia Counties.
The schools to be reopened in West Pokot include Chesegon Primary School, Cheptulel Primary School, Cheptulel Boys Secondary School, Sapulmoi Primary School and Kisaa ECD in Pokot Central Sub-County, Lonyangalem Primary School, Kour Primary School and Songok Primary School in Pokot North Sub-County and Karon Primary School in Pokot West subcounty.
Kindiki also announced that the government will commence training of 205 National Police Reservists at Chesta Teachers College Grounds in Sigor Constituency.