President William Ruto has announced that the government will prioritize the hiring of teachers from Northern Kenya to fill vacancies left by tutors who fled insecurity in the region.
Speaking in Garissa County, the President said the repeated departure of non‑local teachers following militant attacks has disrupted learning and strained relations between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and affected staff. He emphasized that the new approach will ensure stability in schools across the North Eastern.
“I want to assure you that all those teachers who left this region for security and other reasons will be replaced by local Northern Kenyan teachers. We will ensure we have optimum staffing levels just like the rest of the country,” Ruto said as quoted by one of the local dailies
this remarks came days after the killing of teacher Stephen Musili in Hulugho reignited fears among non‑local educators and deepened concerns about safety in the region.
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Ruto noted that his administration has already recruited 100,000 teachers nationwide and is applying affirmative action measures to guarantee that children in North Eastern enjoy equal access to quality education. “Your children deserve an education equal to any other child in Kenya. While we have faced staffing challenges due to insecurity, I assure you that teachers who left the region will be replaced by local educators from Northern Kenya. This strategy will ensure optimum staffing levels and long‑term stability for our schools,” he added.
President Ruto outlined plans to expand facilities for students in higher institutions and training centres. He highlighted ongoing projects under the Affordable Housing Programme, which has allocated KSh18 billion to Garissa County.
The investment will fund housing units, markets, and hostels, including a new facility at Garissa University designed to accommodate 1,700 students.
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North Eastern Kenya has long struggled with attacks targeting non‑local teachers, often forcing schools to close or operate with limited staff. The latest incident has revived painful memories of past disruptions that left communities shaken and learning interrupted.
TSC Chairperson Jamleck Muturi has said security concerns are being addressed by a multi‑agency team, though the commission has yet to issue a clear position on transfer requests submitted after the Hulugho attack.
By Masaki Enock
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