As students resumed learning, teachers who work in schools based at Boni Forest, Lamu County were airlifted for their safety.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) who airlifted the tutors assured them of their safety despite the region experiencing perennial cases of insecurity.
In photos that went viral on Monday, January 30, the teachers were seen in the chopper with their luggage as a KDF officer saw them off.
The teachers had failed to report to their respective stations when schools reopened on Monday, January 23 for a fresh academic year.
Joshua Kaaga, Lamu Education Director, announced that his office would continue partnering with the security department to ensure education activities in all the hard-to-reach areas of Lamu, take place.
“The security department is a crucial partner in this. Our military people have done their best to ensure there’s peace and stability in Boni forest villages which is conducive to learning. As you head there, be informed that we’re with you and we shall ensure your welfare is fully taken care of,” he noted.
Kenyans had mixed reactions as some sympathized with the teachers whom they felt were not safe in their places of work.
Others mounted pressure on the government to guarantee the Kenyans of maximum security especially in terrorist-prone areas.
“Adequate security should be provided to all schools in the affected areas to make learning go on smoothly. For how long shall this menace continue yet we have a collaborative security system which is well trained,” Paul Mwaseti stated.
“How long will KDF escort them to work? We can afford to send our KDF troops to DRC but our own people are not secure,” Eric Maranga questioned the government.
Others noted that the teachers were supposed to get more hardship allowance as they were making great sacrifices working in such areas.
“After escorting them, are they secure wherever they are? Or they are being dumped like rubbish? these heroes should be given big allowances, property security assurance guaranteed daily and any other benefits that they deserve to perform their duties well,” Isaiah Kiplagat noted.
“The government should train some officers as teachers and deploy them to those areas. How do you send a defenseless person to a terror-prone area simply because they asked for jobs,” David Gachago remarked.
During the 2022 national examinations period, the government had to airlift candidates from the same area to safer schools.
In 2021, a KDF officer stepped in to teach in one of the schools in the terror-ravaged region after teachers failed to resume their duties fearing for their safety.
The area recently experienced an Al Shabaab militants attack on a vehicle that was ferrying court officials.
