President William Ruto has directed that 600 teachers be recruited from Mandera County to help address the long-standing teacher shortage in the region.
Speaking in Mandera on Thursday during the issuance of Nyota funds to local youth, the President said learning in northern Kenya has suffered for years due to insecurity. He noted that many teachers posted to the area from other parts of the country often request transfers when security incidents occur.
Ruto questioned why most teachers working in Mandera come from places like Kisumu, Eldoret, Siaya, Central Kenya and the Coast, yet there are locals who can be trained and given the same opportunity.
“Why shouldn’t we have teachers from northern Kenya?” the President posed.
He explained that whenever insecurity arises, teachers from outside the region tend to leave, disrupting learning and sometimes forcing schools to close. According to him, hiring teachers from the local community will help ensure schools continue operating even during challenging times.
The President said the move is part of affirmative action meant to uplift marginalised regions.
“As a matter of affirmative action, for all the teachers who left here to be replaced, I have said we are hiring here in Mandera another 600 teachers to make sure they take charge of education in our primary and secondary schools,” Ruto said.
He added that teachers who were born and raised in Mandera are more likely to remain in the area despite security concerns.
“Now we will have teachers who were born here. Even if there are problems, they will stay here to make sure your children are taught,” he said.
The directive comes just weeks after a teacher was killed in January 2026 in an attack linked to suspected Al-Shabaab militants. The incident caused fear among teachers in the region, with several reportedly seeking transfers over safety concerns.
President Ruto also reminded residents that the government had earlier announced plans to recruit 24,000 more teachers by the start of 2026.
He said the Mandera recruitment is part of the broader effort to strengthen the education sector, adding that more than 100,000 teachers have been hired since he assumed office in 2022.
