CS Magoha’s Directive on Pregnant KCPE Candidates

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha on December 2, assured all KCPE candidates who sat for the national examinations while pregnant of Form One admission ordering ministry officials countrywide to ensure no girl was discriminated. 

Speaking while announcing the results of the selection process at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development,  Magoha assured that the ministry was aiming at a 100% transition from primary to secondary school for all 2019 KCPE candidates.

“Last year we had pregnant students who didn’t join secondary school because of their condition. For those who are still pregnant, let them join Form One and we shall give them an off time to go and deliver.

KCPE candidates at Booker Academy Mumias in Kakamega County sit the mathematics paper on October 29, 2019.

“No girl will be locked out of high school due to a factor out of their own ability,” remarked Magoha.

Magoha further issued a warning to parents who have married off their daughters after they got pregnant, giving an order that the girls be repatriated back to their homes as they await admission.

“If a girl is married in Kanyenyaini, we shall go and get her from there to the classrooms. We need to get all students in class where they are supposed to be,” remarked Magoha.

Further, the no-nonsense Cabinet Secretary tasked Education officials in the sub-counties to work hand in hand with local leaders to ensure that all students have gotten to class.

“All ministry officials in the sub-counties should file accurate and daily reports to ensure a 100% transition.

"When I say accurate I mean accurate. Don’t sit in your offices to be given reports. Go to the fields and monitor the situation from the ground,” added Magoha.

The officials were also directed to work with chiefs and other local administrators to monitor the transition and ensure no pupils were denied their right to basic education.

A past photo of Education CS George Magoha in parliament

According to Magoha, all students will be required to report to their respective schools starting Monday, January 13, 2020, and the latest by Friday 17, 2020.

In a report by The Standard on November 2, Bomet County was the worst hit by pregnancy cases where three of the 10 pupils who sat KCPE in maternity wards countrywide were from the county.

1,083,456 candidates sat for the 2019 KCPE examinations, out of which 543,000 were boys and 539,874 girls.

According to The Guardian, on June 2017, Tanzania President John Magufuli was widely criticized by campaigners and human rights activists after his comments that any girl who gets pregnant while in schools should drop her studies.

“As long as I am president, no pregnant student will be allowed to return to school. After getting pregnant, you are done.” Magufuli remarked as quoted by the guardian.