The killing of a primary school teacher in Hulugho, Garissa County, has renewed urgent calls for stronger protection of educators and other public servants working in Kenya’s frontier regions, where insecurity continues to disrupt service delivery and learning.
Stephen Vundi Musili, who had been posted to Hulugho in early 2025, was killed alongside a local chief in an attack that has shocked the education sector and border communities.
Education stakeholders say the incident highlights the growing risks faced by teachers deployed to remote and border areas, where they often serve as the most visible representatives of the state.
Analysts note that the tragedy is part of a wider pattern affecting frontier counties such as Garissa County, Lamu County and Mandera County, where teachers, chiefs, police officers and health workers have increasingly been targeted by violent extremism.
The cumulative impact has been especially severe on education, with repeated losses deepening staffing shortages, interrupting school calendars and eroding community confidence.
“Teachers occupy a uniquely vulnerable position,” said governance and policy expert Abdullahi Maalim, noting that educators in remote communities anchor social stability while helping bridge long-standing inequalities.
“Their visibility makes them targets for groups seeking to undermine state presence and instil fear.”
From an education perspective, the consequences are profound. In regions where teacher numbers are already stretched, insecurity accelerates attrition and compromises learning outcomes.
Children bear the brunt, as schools struggle to maintain continuity and quality amid repeated disruptions.
The renewed debate has shifted beyond reactive measures to calls for a deliberate, intelligence-led approach that treats education and security as interlinked priorities.
Security experts argue that protecting teachers must be understood not only as a safety imperative, but also as a development investment that safeguards the right to education in marginalised areas.
Among the proposals gaining traction are strengthened cross-border intelligence cooperation, particularly with neighbouring administrations, to disrupt militant networks that operate across porous borders.
Advocates also point to the effectiveness of community-based early warning systems, noting that trust and timely action can prevent attacks before they occur.
Education advocates further urge national and county governments, alongside development partners, to ensure schools remain safe spaces and that teachers feel supported in their service.
Regional coordination bodies, including the Frontier Counties Development Council, have long argued that inclusive development and secure education systems are central to building resilience and weakening the appeal of extremist narratives.
As the country mourns the loss of Musili and others who have fallen in the line of service, stakeholders say honouring their memory requires more than condolences.
It demands coordinated action, grounded in intelligence, community partnership and sustained investment, to ensure that no child loses a teacher, and no teacher loses their life simply for choosing to serve.