54 Primary Schools and 19 Secondary Schools in the volatile Kerio Valley have been shut down following increasing cases of insecurity in the region and the killing of Catholic Priest Fr Alois Cheruiyot Bett by armed assailants on Thursday.
Speaking in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, teacher's unions including the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) from the County have backed a proposal by the union's national leadership to close the schools until sustainable peace is realized in the region.
Led by KUPPET Branch Secretary Paul Biwott and his KNUT Counterpart John Cheberi, the teachers said that they fear for the safety of their teachers especially non-locals who appear to be targeted by the assailants believed to be bandits.
The teachers claimed that the recent pattern of killings in the region has seemed to be well calculated attack on non-locals including the killing of three police officers.
