No Military Chopper Rides for Teachers to Boni Forest Schools.
Teachers working in the terror-prone Boni Forest region face a new challenge. The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) helicopters, which have been a crucial mode of transportation for these teachers, are no longer available. As schools reopen, security officials have announced they can no longer access KDF helicopters to airlift over 30 teachers to the remote Boni Forest schools. This development has sparked concerns among the teaching staff, who are now urged to find alternative transportation options.
The decision to withdraw the use of military helicopters comes after the tragic crash of a military helicopter in Elgeyo-Marakwet County on April 18, which claimed the lives of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla and nine other soldiers. Lamu County Commissioner Wesley Koech revealed that this incident has made it increasingly difficult for the Lamu security team to secure military helicopters to transport teachers to Boni Forest.
Koech explained that obtaining permission from the state to use military helicopters for this purpose has become a complex process. “It’s not within the military’s mandate to ferry teachers to their stations. Their previous involvement was merely an act of goodwill to support the Ministry of Education in ensuring that Boni Forest pupils received education,” said Koech. He emphasized the importance of finding alternative means of transportation, as the ministry remains committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students in Boni Forest, just like their peers across the country.
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In response to this situation, the Lamu security committee arranged for a boat to ferry the teachers across the vast Indian Ocean to Kiangwe village. From there, security convoys will escort the teachers by road to schools in Mangai, Mararani, Basuba, and Milimani. Despite these arrangements, the teachers remain reluctant to travel by road, insisting on airlift by a military helicopter.
Commissioner Koech urged the teachers to show patriotism and consider the welfare of the Boni Forest pupils, who are often left behind in education due to delayed school openings. “We must put aside selfish concerns and focus on helping these vulnerable students,” Koech said. He highlighted that the pupils have not yet attended class this term because their teachers have not reported. Koech reassured the teachers that security measures in Boni Forest have been intensified, and there have been no terrorist attacks in the past three months. He expressed the security team’s readiness to escort the teachers by water and road, given that military choppers are currently unavailable.
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However, the teachers remain unconvinced. Some, speaking anonymously due to fear of repercussions, refuse to risk their lives by traveling to Boni Forest by road. They express concerns about the dangers of traveling on roads potentially booby-trapped by terrorists and the risk of ambushes by al-Shabaab militants. For their safety, teachers in Boni Forest typically sleep in KDF camps at night and commute to their schools each day.
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One teacher described the prospect of traveling to Boni Forest by road as “suicidal.” “We are already making significant sacrifices by working in a region that even security agencies fear. Now, they want us to put our lives in even greater danger by traveling by road. We won’t do it. Many of us have young families who depend on us,” the teacher said.
Another teacher expressed their intention to stay home until the government arranges their airlift to Boni Forest. They accused the government of making empty promises and playing with the teachers’ safety. “Once we agree to travel by road, the government will stop any future efforts to airlift us by helicopter. We will only go if we can be safely airlifted. Our lives and security must come first,” the teacher insisted.
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Lamu Director of Education Zachary Mutuiri urged the teachers to trust the security team and agree to the alternative transportation plan. “Teachers should stop being rigid and accept the proposal to travel to Boni Forest by boat and then by road from Kiangwe village. The security team guarantees their safety,” Mutuiri said. He assured the teachers that the plan is temporary, and once a helicopter becomes available, it will handle future transportation. “It’s not the end of the world,” he added, encouraging the teachers to prioritize the students’ education.
Despite these assurances, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Lamu branch Executive Secretary Ibrahim Shahibu strongly opposed forcing teachers to travel by road. Shahibu argued that working in Boni Forest is already a significant sacrifice, given the area’s vulnerability to al-Shabaab attacks. “We cannot accept this. Teachers are also human beings with families. Their security must be prioritized. Forcing them to travel by road is unacceptable, and we will only agree to safe transportation,” he said.
Since September 2015, the national government has been conducting Operation Amani Boni (OAB), a multi-agency security operation aimed at flushing out al-Shabaab militants believed to be hiding in the dense Boni Forest. This ongoing operation involves several security units, including the National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), the National Government Administration Officers, and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), which leads the operation. Despite these efforts, the teachers’ concerns about their safety remain a significant barrier to their willingness to return to work in Boni Forest.
The withdrawal of military helicopter support for teachers in Boni Forest has reignited fears and concerns among the teaching staff. While the government and security agencies have proposed alternative transportation methods, the teachers’ reluctance to travel by road highlights the ongoing security challenges in the region. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the government will address these concerns and ensure that the teachers’ safety and the student’s education are adequately protected.
No Military Chopper Rides for Teachers to Boni Forest Schools.
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