Education Ministry, led by Dr Fred Matiang'i, has launched a door-to-door mechanism that will ensure all Form One students report to school.
This is after several schools across the country recorded a low Form One admission rate despite the government announcing free day secondary education, extending the period for enrollment and introducing day wings in some top boarding schools.
The 993,718 candidates who sat last year’s KCPE exam were expected to have reported to secondary schools by Wednesday, January 17.
However, the turnout in most regions in the country is alarming hence the initiative to carry out a door-to-door mission to urge parents to take their children to school.
[caption caption="Parents taking students to form one"]
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Mombasa, Kwale and Samburu counties have registered the lowest admission of the Form 1s.
In Mombasa, only 30 percent of the students showed up in the respective high schools whereas only 57 out of over 200 students have reported in Kwale.
Samburu County Commissioner, Alfred Kinyua, revealed that below 50 percent have been admitted to secondary schools in his county.
Speaking to the press on Thursday, Mr Kinyua blamed the low transition on lack of information that the government is offering free secondary education in day schools.
“We want to inform parents that secondary education is free and textbooks are also free, all they need to buy is school uniform and provide lunch money,” Mr Kinyua commented.
“Secondary schools in the county have 4,535 Form One slots, yet only 1,964 have reported,” he noted.
Mr George Lenyasunya, a secondary school principal, noted that lunch money was not catered for by the government.
[caption caption="Fred Matiang'i addressing Mama Ngina Girls' school"]
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The government had an intention of ensuring almost one million enrollment of Form One students this year.
Speaking at Mama Ngina Girls’ School in Mombasa, Dr Fred Matiang’i, on Thursday, reiterated the Government's commitment to ensuring that all children go to school and get quality education.
