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Ayub Mohamud is a teacher in Kenya. He teaches business and Islamic studies in the Eastleigh suburb of Nairobi. He also offers special classes against violent extremism. This is extremely crucial, as militant group Al-Shabaab is attempting to radicalize young students in rural Kenya. Mohamud is doing such great work that he was nominated for a special award.
Spreading a de-radicalisation message
Mohamud is one of ten finalists for the Varkey Foundation’s Global Teacher Prize, an award that recognises one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to the community. The award comes with a $1 million dollar prize. The winner of the Global Teacher Prize 2016 will be announced in March. The Kenyan teacher said he was humbled by the nomination. He has been working with children for years now. Before he taught in Nairobi, he educated children living in rural and traditional communities. He showed their families how important education is. In addition, he gives his students the skills needed to become entrepreneurs. His teaching methods have been very successful. Achievement levels at his current school have risen and his students developed a business idea that has impressed several competitions. Their proposal – producing roofing tiles from solid waste – has the potential to improve lives in Kenya’s slums. As if this was not impressive enough, Mohamud works hard to fight extremism both in his community and nationally. He has implemented de-radicalisation school programs, developed lesson plans teachers can use to spread the message, and created the anti-terror network Teachers Against Violent Extremism.
Terrorists are recruiting in schools
Teachers like Mohamud play a very important role. Security agencies found that terrorist group Al-Shabaab is recruiting in various Nairobi secondary schools – including Eastleigh High, the one Mohamud teaches at. A leaked report from the National Intelligence Service found that:
“recruitment is ongoing in schools, especially in Nairobi Technical School, Highway Secondary, Eastleigh High and Sheikh Khalifa in Mombasa.”
They also discovered that:
“Islamic scholars with extremist tendencies have also been conducting programmes in schools such as Moi Forces, State House Girls, Limuru Girls, St George’s Secondary, Aga Khan and Eastleigh High within Nairobi.”
Some of these schools caught Al-Shabaab’s attention because the students demanded the right for girls to wear hijabs in school. The militants prey on these young students and radicalize them. Students are easy carriers for their terror missions: acts that include harming the economy, assassinating important leaders, and carrying out attacks on tourists. Al-Shabaab members are also recruiting in several mosques. And, it is not just Nairobi that is at risk. The NIS reported that students are hearing radicalization lectures at Masjid Minaa in Kisauni, Masjid Chelsea and Maratib mosques in Eastleigh and Musa and Minaa mosques in Mombasa. The report also states that Al-Shabaab has:
“widened recruitment of members to far flung areas in the country such as, Eldoret, Kitale, Maralal, Isiolo, Maua, Migori, Mumias, Oyugis, Kisii, Kiambu and Busia. Cell members have also set up base in suburbs of large towns such as Githurai and Dandora in Nairobi as well as Kisauni, Likoni and Ukunda at the Coast.”
Learn more about Ayub Mohamud’s work in the video below:
SEE ALSO: The Muslim Man Who Protected Christians From A Terror Attack In Kenya Passed Away.
