Cabinet Secretaries James Macharia, Matiangi and Keter/MOSES MUOKI
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 12 –Acting Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi has said low numbers of Form 1 enrollment in Coast region is alarming.
Matiangi who was speaking at a forum at the Kenya School of Government on Friday, gave an example of Kwale County which has Form 1 capacity of 5,568 and only seven hundred and fifty four have reported which is only 13.4 per cent.
“ I have been looking at the numbers and they are worrying and by the way the bulk of these schools are not boarding schools, they are day schools therefore someone should not say they don’t have money. Education is completely free in day schools,” stated Matiangi.
Kwale High School which has a Form 1 capacity of 240 students, only 55 have reported which makes 22.92 per cent, same case applies to Malindi High School which has a capacity of 240 and only 57 have reported to school that makes 24 per cent.
Following the low number of enrollment, Matiangi extended reporting deadline until next week Friday to allow more students report to schools.
He called upon county education officials on the ground to establish the cause of the low enrollment and find solutions.
“The Constitution and the Basic Education Act provides for compulsory basic education, therefore I’m urging the County Commissioner to ensure that all school age children are in school,” said Matiangi.
However Matiangi noted that enrollment in other counties is going on well and over 70 per cent of students have reported.
Matiangi also directed that the fees guidelines be adhered to without exception and asked parents to only pay the amount in the fees structure.
Last week several circulars were released to guide school administrators on how fees will be paid.
With the new development, each learner in public schools has received Sh22,224 from the government.
Day scholars will therefore be fully funded by the government.
Parents with students in boarding schools category A (national and county schools) will now pay Sh53, 554 a year and those with learners in category B (boarding schools and extra county schools) will be charged Sh40,535 school fees.
One of the reforms in the education sector is 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary school.
