Nairobi — Members of Parliament have condemned the Teachers Service Commission's (TSC) decision to interdict non-local teachers in the North Eastern region.
The affected teachers had gone on strike due to prolonged insecurity in the region.
The National Assembly Education Committee, led by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, has called upon the TSC to reverse the interdiction of 129 teachers, asserting that the disciplinary action is unwise and inhumane.
TSC had directed non-local teachers in North Eastern to return to their duty stations by September 7th after many of them had fled the area in July, citing severe insecurity that put their lives at risk.
MP Julius Melly emphasized the need for a more compassionate approach, saying, "Those who feel they can continue, we have no problem; they can do so. But for those in insecure, far-flung border areas, it is not safe. We strongly condemn the interdiction of these teachers; it is inhumane and lacks wisdom. When someone is insecure, we must listen and offer a solution."
Despite the pleas of non-local teachers working in Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa Counties for transfers to safer areas, their requests were not granted. The affected teachers expressed their frustrations after a board meeting with TSC did not lead to the desired transfers.
In response, TSC issued backdated interdiction letters to the teachers who had not reported to work by September 7th. This action has created tension between the teachers and the commission.
Charles Achol, one of the affected teachers, explained, "The TSC had demanded that we report not later than September 7, 2023. These teachers went back to TSC headquarters for further clarifications, but this time, they faced the rough side of the police."
The non-local teachers raised several issues contributing to their discontent, including concerns about insecurity, the absence of transport options, discrimination, and intimidation by TSC. Additionally, religious intolerance and limited growth opportunities within the teaching profession have been cited as significant obstacles deterring the teachers from returning to work.
The ongoing conflict between the affected teachers and TSC threatens to impact the management of upcoming national examinations in the three counties, scheduled to begin next week.
Teachers in the North Eastern region claimed that they are forced to pay Sh 1000 to National Police Reservists to provide security, as the local police cannot accommodate all the teachers due to their numbers. Furthermore, non-local teachers mentioned that no local residents are willing to rent houses to them due to security concerns, which has forced them to stay in police stations.
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The affected teachers are advocating for the implementation of recommendations issued by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on the matter. Kindiki advised TSC to consider posting non-local teachers in the insecurity-prone Northern counties for shorter durations and then reshuffling them. Additionally, he recommended the hiring of more local teachers.
Data from TSC reveals that non-local teachers outnumber their local counterparts. In Mandera, out of 1,406 teachers, 607 are from the local community, and 799 are non-locals. Wajir County has 1,355 teachers, with 694 locals and 661 non-locals. In Garissa, 964 teachers are from outside the county, while 364 are from the local community out of a total of 1,328 teachers.
