Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha (right) flanked by Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang (left) engage a student admitted to Nairobi’s Moi Girls Seconadry School on Monday, January 27/CFM – Sam Wanjohi
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 27 – Over 100,000 eligible students required to join secondary schools under national government’s 100 per cent transition policy are yet to be accounted for in reports filed by regional and county education directors.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha Monday told the press only 970,151 students translating to 92 per cent of the 1,083,456 candidates who sat for the 2019 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), had so far enrolled to secondary schools.
Prof Magoha however said an ongoing mop up to trace students yet to report in their assigned schools had yielded 150,000.
“Between Friday and Monday, we have added 150,000 students through this mop up exercise,” he said.
Prof Magoha who has been leading a mop up exercise to ensure 100 per cent transition said no student should be turned away by any public school for lack of fees.
While launching the door to door campaign in Kibera last week Magoha said education is one of the government’s legacy programs which he is committed to achieving, adding that everyone must be involved.
“The government is providing free day secondary education and therefore any child who still has not reported to school should be taken to the nearest day school,” said Magoha.
Magoha on Monday accompanied by his PS Belio Kipsang at the Kibera DCC office picked three students who were yet to enroll.
Teresia Muthoni who scored 320 marks was admitted to Moi Girls Secondary School while two other boys were enrolled to Langata High.
The CS said he will continue moving around the country, adding that all students must join secondary schools.
Magoha further directed school principals not to send back students due to lack of fees and personal effects.
“We said let the children get to school first,” said the CS.
Magoha said he was impressed by the coordinated efforts between chiefs, sub-chiefs and educational officers on the ground who are continuing to make the campaign a success.
The CS noted about 11 counties that had achieved the 100 per cent target led by Murang’a where schools enlisted 27 per cent more students than were assigned.
In Nyeri the target surpassed by 27 per cent.
Turkana, Nairobi, Vihiga, Uasin Gishu, Tharaka Nithi, Kirinyaga and Kajiado posted results in excess of their set target by 16, 11, 8, 6, 5 and 2 per cent respectively.
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