Mavoko police boss Kizito Mutoro has refuted claims that there are security threats of Al Shabaab militia in the schools within the area as speculated by some of residents.
Addressing press in his office on Monday, Mutoro said that information on Al Shaabab threats in the schools were propaganda which had been allegedly hatched by certain teachers of the schools which had been conducting illegal tuition on the weekends.
"There is nothing like Al Shabaab threats in entire Mavoko sub-county, it is misinformation spread by some of the teachers who have been conducting illegal tuition that had long been banned by the government in their schools within the region," said Mutoro.
Mutoro said such teachers, for fear of being arrested, on Saturday released children who had been undergoing tuition in their schools without telling them that they were evading being caught up by the law. He said that was what prompted children to misreport to their parents that they had been released due to Al Shabaab threats.
He disputed claims that administration officers from Athi River escorted children out of the schools during the release on Saturday, claiming his office dispatched police officers to inform school heads that all schools were safe, hence no cause for alarm.
Athi River district education officer Joseph Kiema, who addressed reporters separately at Mavoko secondary school, cautioned teachers against conducting illegal tuition in their schools.
"It is explicitly in education act that tuition is illegal, if you are caught you will not only be sacked but also be prosecuted according to the law," Kiema warned teachers.
Kiema said all public secondary and primary schools in Athi River are day schools, apart from Lukenya Girls Centre of excellence, hence no reason for children to be in school on the weekends.