A family in Murang’a County is in distress following the mysterious disappearance of 15-year-old Ian Gachagua Mawingu, a form two student at Njumbi High School, who has been missing for nearly three weeks.
According to his mother, Jennifer Muthoni, the last time she heard from the school was on October 17, when she received a text message notifying her that students would be breaking for the long December holidays the following day.
“I was happy that Ian had completed the term successfully,” Muthoni said.
She added: “I even received another message praising his academic performance.”
However, when schools closed on October 18, Ian did not return home. Concerned, his mother waited for a text notification confirming his departure from the school, a system the school uses to alert parents whenever students leave or report back, but no such message came.
ALSO READ;
Moi University exposes fake Degree of Eldoret City Board Chairman
By midday, Muthoni became anxious and called one of Ian’s teachers, who informed her that students had left school earlier in the day.
When she reached out to the class teacher, she was told that Ian had gone home weeks earlier because of school fees arrears, a claim later contradicted by the principal, who maintained that the student had not been sent home.
The revelation sent shockwaves through the family, who realized that Ian had been missing for nearly three weeks without the school noticing.
Earlier in the term, on September 15, Muthoni had pleaded with the school to allow her son to continue attending classes despite an outstanding fees balance. The school agreed, and Ian remained in school.
When the institution released students with unpaid balances on September 27, Ian did not return home, leading his mother to believe that he had been allowed to stay.
ALSO READ;
A class representative later told investigators that Ian had mentioned feeling unwell and intended to request a leave-out after church on Sunday, September 28.
But his mother says she never received any communication or notification to that effect, and the school has no record of him leaving the premises.
The matter was reported at Nyakianga Police Station under OB Number 13/19/10/2025 at 1511 hours, and investigations are ongoing.
Ian’s family is now appealing to the public to help trace their son.
By our reporter
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
