The government has assured teachers working in banditry hit areas in the North Rift of their security to ensure learning continues uninterrupted.

Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu said the cardinal work of the government is to protect human life and property, adding that every effort will be made to ensure teachers and learners in the affected areas are protected.

Machogu said even though a number of attacks have been reported in Baringo County, the ministry has not closed any school.

His ministry, he said, was working closely with the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to secure learning institutions in the affected areas.

He said the interior ministry, in collaboration with county and sub-county education directors, is in the process of assessing the situation to enable the Ministry of Education to take measures to support education in the affected areas.

“We are aware that out of fear, some of the teachers and learners are not going to school. However, we are working with the Interior ministry to assess the situation before we declare that we have closed any affected school,” he said.

The CS called for calm, saying the ministry was in control of the situation and will issue a comprehensive statement once the ongoing assessment is concluded.

Speaking when he toured Nandi County recently, the CS reiterated the government’s commitment to boosting the quality of education in the country, adding that acts of lawlessness out to disrupt learning will not be condoned.

The CS was flanked by Tinderet Member of Parliament (MP) Julius Melly, Emgwen MP Josses Lelmengit, and Tinderet Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Esther Oyugi, among others.

Melly, who chairs the National Assembly Committee on Education, said security of teachers in the bandit hit areas was a big concern.

The committee, the Tinderet MP said, has written to Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary (CS)  Kithure Kindiki to provide a detailed report on the situation in the affected areas.

“We are waiting for the Interior CS’s report so that the committee can deliberate on it and come up with recommendations,” he said.

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By Dennis Bett

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