About 266 teachers who have fled clashes in Baringo county are demanding to be transferred. They were serving in the 47 schools in volatile Baringo North, South and Tiaty sub counties before they were closed last week.
Knut county executive secretary Joshua Cheptarus asked TSC to heed to the teachers’ plight as they desperately seek transfer letters. Cheptarus said they have been traumatised by the “bloody happenings” and require counseling.
“We have scheduled a meeting for next Monday at a Kabarnet town hotel to encourage and counsel them in order to diminish their fear,” he said on Thursday.
Two teachers were among tens of people killed in attacks by armed Pokot bandits. Cheptarus said that last Sunday, armed bandits attacked Chemorongion village in Baringo South at 4pm and killed a primary school teacher as his pupils watched.
Three days later, he said, another primary school teacher was killed at Chepkesin in Baringo North sub county. He said TSC should also plan on how to replace the teachers since they are not ready to serve in other hostile areas.
“I would rather quit my job permanently than be reprimanded [for failing] to go back and teach in the same school,” he said.
Among the closed schools were Ngaratuko, Chemoe, Yatya, Tuluk, Kagir, Loruk, Chepkesin, Kapturo, Toboroi, Barsuswo and Lokorotabim in Baringo North. In Baringo South, Ramacha, Karma, Katilimwo, Kapndsum, Chemorongion, Embosos, and Arabal schools have been closed.
Others are Chebinyiny, Sosionte, Nyimbei, Kasiela, Keon, Tuiyotich, Lamaiwe, Karne and Kabel, Rugus, Noosukro and Siarata.
The schools have become IDP camps for thousands of residents fleeing attacks. In the most heinous incident, bandits killed a mother and her three-day-old infant at Natan village, Baringo North late last month.
During DP William Ruto’s visit to the region, bandits killed the Bartabwa chief during a shootout with security officials. Ruto issued a shoot-to-kill order and deployed more than 200 reservists in the operation to flush out the bandits.
The government has commenced operations to flush out the bandits and restore calm. The government gazetted Baringo North and South as “disturbed areas’ but this did not stop the bandits from driving away more than 300 animals in a fresh attack on Wednesday.