Kenya is set to extend its campaign against terrorism recruitment to schools as part of efforts to prevent violent extremism.
President Uhuru Kenyatta said the 'Student Safety and Security Mechanism' developed by the Education ministry will be rolled out in the next few months to complement joint efforts with the 47 counties to curb radicalisation of youths.
“Its goal is to protect our children from multiple threats to their wellbeing that may make them vulnerable to radicalisation,” Mr Kenyatta told delegates attending the African Regional High-level Conference on Counter Terrorism in Nairobi yesterday.
The President did not disclose the details of the anti-terror plan for schools.
The two-day conference that Kenya has jointly convened with the UN in Nairobi seeks ways of preventing violent extremism. More than 1,200 participants from 100 countries, including ministers, policy-makers, civil society representatives, and heads of security and counter-terrorism agencies, are attending.
“This intervention is in addition to broad-based enhancements with regard to the quality and access to education as well as to employment and self-enterprise opportunities after education,” Mr Kenyatta said. “In tandem, the two go a long way towards denying extremism a fertile ground within which it can take root.”
The anti-terror plan for schools appears modelled on the national school safety and security programme that the US resorted to in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York.
Mr Kenyatta also linked drop in cases of radicalisation and terror attacks to involvement of the 47 counties in the fight against the vice.
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