Students and teachers at an institution for higher learning in northern Kenya were rudely awakened Thursday last week to the sound of gunshots. By the end of the day, more than 140 of them died at the hands of gunmen affiliated with al-Shabab.
The Somali militant group claims the attack is in retaliation for the Kenyan government’s involvement in driving al-Shabab out of the conflict-torn country. But the tragedy that befell the Garissa University College is more than just a terror attack aimed at striking fear into the region — and the country at large.
It’s a direct attack on education in impoverished, conflict-ridden northern Kenya.
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About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.