• Magoha said 69,783 learners had been admitted to private schools.
• The CS has called on financially well-off parents to team up with school managers to raise funds for expansion of facilities.
Image: FREDRICK OMONDI
More than 90 per cent of Form 1 students have taken up their slots in schools, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has said.
Magoha said 970,151 out of 1,074,201 who qualified to join Form 1 have been admitted.
The CS said that the ministry will do everything possible for all of last year's candidates report to school.
As of Monday, Murang'a had the highest number of students who have reported having surpassed the transition rate to record a 127 per cent admission rate.
Nyeri is second with 123 per cent, Turkana 116 per cent, Nairobi 111, Tharaka Nithi 106, Kirinyaga 105, Uasin Gishu 103, Kajiado 102, and Lamu 99 per cent.
Magoha said 69,783 learners had been admitted to private schools.
He said cultural practices were hindering the actualisation of the 100 per cent transition.
“We are having trouble in some areas. The information I'm getting is that in some of the counties such as Marsabit, the learners might have moved over the border to Ethiopia after completing their KCPE exams,” Magoha said.
Magoha spoke in Nairobi where he has led the ongoing drive to ensure all candidates proceed to secondary school.
Day schools
The government is banking on day schools to ensure those facing a tough act of raising fees join secondary school.
The CS says that fees in day schools are fully catered for and those having difficulty should take up the opportunity.
The government provides Sh22,244 for each learner in boarding and day secondary schools.
For boarding schools, parents are required to top up the amount depending on the category of the school their learner attends.
In day schools, the amount cuts equal to the fee paid thus meaning the learners are expected to pay nothing more.
The CS has further called for support from other arms of government to support the transition to secondary school.
The ministry also hopes extra scholarship opportunities can support needy learners admitted to secondary schools.
He called on financially well-off parents to team up with school managers to raise funds for expansion of facilities.
“In Machakos Boys, for example, teachers have committed Sh200 from their monthly salaries to take care of the needy learners' fees. The last time I was there the amount had surpassed Sh500,000 and that can take care of at least nine learners fees,” Magoha said.
However, conditions in secondary schools continue to deteriorate with the surge in numbers of the students.
Like last year, the huge admission has resulted in teacher shortages, congestion in schools and capitation delays.
The Education ministry data shows that 93 per cent of candidates who sat the 2018 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination were enrolled in Form 1.