High security alert has been cited as the major reason why Athi River sub-county schools have not witnessed any incident of arson attacks.
This is according to Athi River sub-county Director of Education Mr Joseph Kiema who stated that the region’s security agents were working closely with the education ministry and teachers to ensure no learning institution is torched.
“There is high security alert in Athi River, anything that causes suspicion in our schools is swiftly responded to and addressed,” said Kiema while addressing the press at his office on Monday.
Kiema singled out AIC Secondary School, a private school that was re-opened on Monday after being closed for five days due to a suspected arson attack that was thwarted after the National Intelligence Service (NIS) alerted the institution management on time.
“AIC Secondary School was shortly closed down on Wednesday after rumor went round that two students had sneaked in five liters of petrol, they were protesting that they had not been provided with lunch,” said Kiema.
Security officers who investigated the matter did not recover the alleged petrol and no student has been apprehended to date.
Kiema also noted that police officers had been deployed to both private and public schools in remote areas that were suspected to be vulnerable to arson attacks.
He further challenged management of schools in the region to listen to students' grievances as a way of curbing arson attacks that have been been witnessed in over 100 schools across the country.
“Students claim they act out of pressure, some of their parents are always absent and even the few available ones are not willing to listen to them. Such children resort to burning schools if teachers fail to listen to them too,” said Kiema.