A number of secondary schools in Nyandarua North have continued to record low enrolment, raising concern among education stakeholders in the region.
A spot check by KNA established mushrooming community schools are fighting for a small catchment area to cash in on the free secondary school capitation by the national government.
At Dedan Kimathi Mixed Secondary School, for instance, only six students were enrolled this year in Form 1.
School principal Beth Kairu told the subcounty CBC Implementation Committee that the school relies on one nearby primary school as its catchment area.
"This area has also suffered rural-urban migration and the people left here are old. This school relies on the neighbouring Mung’etho Primary School as its catchment area for students,” she said.
Kairu said the secondary school has a population of 81 students.
She appealed for help to put up boarding facilities to attract more students to enable them to stay afloat.
St Mary’s Aberdare Secondary School, formerly Kiriogo Secondary School, has 147 students, down from last year's 200.
The school's principal, Jason Mwangi, attributed this to local community’s poverty level that has led to many not seeking education.
He said most guardians had defaulted on paying Sh12,000 a year, meant for the students’ lunch.
“Some of the students drop out of school to do illegal logging in the neighbouring Aberdare forest or join boda boda business, while girls end up in early marriages,” he said.
Mwangi said neighbouring Mathenya and Ngobit secondary schools have taken many of its students due to their accessibility.
He said the school has 10 acres for putting up boarding facility, which would translate to more numbers.
“We know it is an uphill task to put up the dormitories and dining hall, but we feel that is the only way the school will remain afloat as it's the only hope of this village that is also drowning in drug abuse," the principal said.
Aberdare Secondary, situated about 20km off Nyahururu-Nyeri road, has 114 students enrolled in its four streams against a capacity of 600, with the majority of the students being girls.
Nyandarua North subcounty director of education Justus Musyoka said more capitation and development would only be assured if there is high enrolment.
Deputy county commissioner Walter Ngaira urged principals to do all they can to ensure students continue to be in school, including utilising available land for agricultural activities to grow food for students lunch.
Ngaira said the CBC policy, which encourages parents to enrol learners in the nearest junior high school centres, will improve enrolment in the schools.
Edited by A.N