NAIROBI, Kenya- President William Ruto has issued a firm directive: within three months, all schools closed due to insecurity in Northern Kenya must be back in operation.
Speaking during an interdenominational service in Tot, Elgeyo Marakwet County, he assured residents that the government would allocate funds to rehabilitate and restore learning institutions in the affected areas.
Ruto announced that the National Treasury would release funds to fast-track the reopening process.
He assigned Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and East Africa Community and Special Programs CS Beatrice Askul to oversee the exercise.
“We had built the schools, but many residents had migrated due to insecurity. Before the end of the month, we will support them in resettling so that children who were squeezed into other schools can return,” Ruto stated.
The education crisis has significantly impacted counties like Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, and West Pokot, where teachers and students have avoided schools for fear of their safety.
To address this, the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) have rolled out affirmative action plans to ensure education access for marginalized communities.
“In the next three months, all schools must be open, and every student must be back in class. Even teachers who had been relocated due to insecurity will be reinstated under an affirmative action plan for Kerio Valley,” Ruto added.
The closure of schools in Northern Kenya traces back to escalating bandit attacks, which not only displaced families but also disrupted education.
According to the Ministry of Interior and National Administration (MINA), as of December 2024, 13 schools in Baringo, West Pokot, and Turkana counties remained shut due to persistent insecurity.
To counter this, the government launched Operation Maliza Uhalifu North Rift in February 2023, which has since channeled KSh 100 million into rehabilitating 34 out of 39 previously closed schools.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have been instrumental in these reconstruction efforts, successfully reopening 26 schools so far.
Renovations are ongoing in 21 institutions, with Baringo County experiencing the most severe disruptions. However, MINA confirmed that all schools in Laikipia and Samburu counties are now operational and that Elgeyo Marakwet did not record any school closures.
Thanks to heightened security measures, approximately 4,000 students have returned to school, according to the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry credited the success to a multi-agency security strategy that has significantly improved safety in the region. With the government now pushing for full school reopenings, the coming months will determine whether Ruto’s deadline holds or if deeper challenges remain.
