RAILA PLANS TO DO THIS TO UNIVERSITIES

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition flagbearer Raila Odinga has pledged to lower entry grades for teacher trainees in the northern counties to address a huge shortage of tutors in the region.

Speaking in Habaswein township, Wajir County, Mr Odinga said his government will use affirmative action to ensure the area has adequate teachers.

“Because of the lack of teachers due to insecurity, we will ensure the youth here can go to teacher training schools even with Grade E,” he said.

An earlier push to lower entry grades for teachers from marginalised counties was rejected by the government. There has been an exodus of non-local teachers from Wajir, Mandera and Garissa due to insecurity.

Mr Odinga said training of more local tutors would help bridge the gap. “From September, all trained teachers and who are yet to be employed shall all be hired. Insecurity has cost this region but affirmative action shall help correct all that,” he said.

Al-Shabaab attack

In 2014, Al-Shabaab militants hijacked a bus in Mandera, commandeered it towards Somalia and killed at least 28 passengers, most of whom were teachers who were heading to Nairobi for December holidays.

Mr Odinga, who was accompanied by his running mate Martha Karua and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, also promised free education from nursery to university.

“After their education, our youths will get quality jobs; not pushing wheelbarrows,” he said.

Mr Odinga further promised a livestock insurance scheme to cushion pastoralists from losses during drought and the establishment of an export abattoir in Wajir. The Isiolo-Habaswein-Wajir-Mandera road, he said, would be tarmacked to open up the region.

Mr Odinga also pledged to dig more boreholes and promote water harvesting. He promised to improve access to health services through BabaCare and a social protection scheme for the poor and widows.