Hundreds of non-local educators are staging protests at the Teachers Service Commission offices in Garissa, refusing redeployment to drought-ravaged border zones lacking basic water and security infrastructure.

A standoff has erupted in Garissa as non-local teachers formally reject their new postings to remote, drought-stricken areas. The educators argue the transfers endanger their lives and ignore their basic human needs.

This crisis underscores the chronic marginalization of North Eastern Kenya. For decades, the region has struggled to retain qualified professionals due to severe climate challenges and the persistent threat of terrorism. The ongoing dispute threatens to further paralyze an education system already operating on the brink of collapse.

A Crisis of Security and Geography

The genesis of this confrontation lies in the Teachers Service Commission's (TSC) attempt to mitigate security risks. Following the tragic murder of Stephen Musili—a teacher killed by suspected Al-Shabaab militants in January 2026—the TSC initiated mass transfers of non-local staff away from known terror hotspots. However, the solution has proven as problematic as the original crisis. Teachers, led by representative Victor Onyango, report being reassigned to Banane Sub-county, a harsh, arid zone near the Ethiopian border.

These new deployment areas are currently in the grip of a devastating drought. Essential amenities, including clean drinking water and secure housing, are virtually non-existent. The educators argue that they are simply trading the immediate threat of militia violence for the slow, agonizing peril of environmental hardship. By camping out at the TSC headquarters in Garissa Town, the teachers are demanding postings to more sustainable, secure environments within the county.

• Non-local teachers were initially moved to avoid targeted Al-Shabaab violence.
• New postings in Banane Sub-county lack basic water and infrastructure.
• Educators are currently camping at TSC offices, refusing to report to duty.

The Administrative Tug-of-War

The TSC finds itself caught in an administrative paradox. Officials had promised safer deployments during Musili's burial, yet the logistical reality of staffing schools in Garissa means placing personnel in hostile terrains. The commission is under intense pressure from local leaders to ensure that schools remain open, but it cannot guarantee the safety or wellbeing of its staff. The situation is complicated by the fact that five counties—Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, and Marsabit—have spent over Sh443 billion (approx. KES 443bn) on development since 2013, yet basic infrastructure remains lacking.

President William Ruto recently intervened in the broader North Eastern education crisis, pledging localized hiring to bridge the massive staffing imbalance. However, cultivating a robust pipeline of local educators requires years of investment. In the interim, the state must rely on non-local professionals, necessitating a comprehensive review of hardship allowances, security protocols, and infrastructure investments to make these postings viable.

The Plight of the Kenyan Learner

While the administrative battle wages on, the true victims remain the thousands of learners across Garissa County. Every day that a classroom remains empty, the developmental gap between marginalized regions and the rest of the country widens. Education is the primary engine for economic mobility, and its disruption fuels a cycle of poverty and vulnerability that extremist groups are eager to exploit.

To resolve this impasse, the government must adopt a multi-agency approach. The Ministry of Interior must secure the perimeters of vulnerable schools, while county governments must urgently drill boreholes and provide habitable quarters for civil servants. The teachers are not refusing to serve the nation; they are simply refusing to serve under conditions that compromise their humanity.

"We are willing to teach the children of Kenya, but we cannot impart knowledge if we are fighting for our own survival," stated a protesting teacher.