KEPSHA Chair Calls for Heightened Security as Transmara South Schools Set to Reopen

As insecurity continues to grip parts of Transmara South, education stakeholders have raised concerns over the safety of learners and teachers ahead of the January school reopening.

Ezekiel Lelon, the Kenya Primary School Headteachers Association (KEPSHA) chairperson for Angata Zone and secretary for Transmara South, has urged the government to urgently strengthen security in affected areas to ensure uninterrupted learning.

Speaking amid reports of continued violence, Lelon warned that fear and displacement could derail preparations for the new school term unless decisive action is taken.

“The safety of our learners and teachers must be treated as a priority. Schools cannot operate effectively in an environment where there is fear and uncertainty,” said Lelon.

He further appealed to the government to identify alternative locations for internally displaced persons (IDPs), noting that several schools are currently hosting displaced families, a situation he says could delay reopening.

“We appreciate the need to support displaced citizens, but schools should not be used as IDP camps when learning is about to resume. The government should find alternative settlement areas to allow students to return to class on time,” he added.

Education officials in the region say school heads are racing against time to prepare facilities, while parents remain anxious about the security situation. Teachers’ unions have also echoed calls for increased police deployment around learning institutions and along major access routes.

Residents are now looking to the national and county governments to act swiftly, warning that prolonged insecurity could negatively impact enrolment, attendance and overall education outcomes in Transmara South.

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