This archive report was first published on 18 August 2019.
On a typical day in Mwisho wa Lami, the sound of children's laughter and the smell of freshly prepared meals filled the air. However, behind the scenes, a different story was unfolding at Dre-Lena Academic Venture, a private holiday tuition centre.
According to Mwalimu Andrew, one of the centre's owners, the decision to close the centre was made after a series of events that began when news reached them that the opening date for the next term had been extended by a week. This meant that the centre would have more time to operate, and the owners would make more money from private holiday tuition.
However, things took a turn for the worse when Mwalimu Andrew discovered that his Class Eight students were performing poorly in mathematics and science exams. In fact, they were even beaten by his Class Seven pupils, who had administered a similar examination just a week prior.
Feeling frustrated and upset, Mwalimu Andrew decided to investigate the matter further. He discovered that the Class Seven pupils had cheated by accessing the answer sheets and sharing them with others. The centre's owners decided to punish only the two boys involved, giving them some firewood to split for Mwalimu Andrew's mother.
But the drama didn't end there. A few minutes after the punishment, a policeman friend of Mwalimu Andrew received a call from a student who had reported that he had assaulted her. However, when the policeman asked the student to produce evidence of attending holiday tuition, she was unable to do so.
As the situation continued to escalate, Mwalimu Andrew and his partner, Lena, decided to close the centre immediately, fearing that government officials might ambush them. The centre was eventually shut down, and Mwalimu Andrew vowed that it would be the last time he would attempt private holiday tuition.
