KCPE 2020: Delayed Form 1 Placement Fuels Anxiety

Education CS George Magoha releasing KCPE 2020 exams at Mitihani house in Nairobi
Education CS George Magoha releasing KCPE 2020 exams at Mitihani house in Nairobi
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Parents of Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) 2020 candidates have begun pressuring Secondary school principals following delays in form one placements.

A report by Nation on Monday, May 17 indicated that some of the anxious parents had begun contacting high schools directly trying to secure spaces for their children.

Under normal circumstances, the online high school placement exercise begins immediately after the release of the national exams.

In 2021, however, the placement process was delayed to May 28 due to the disruption in calendar events presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Makueni high school students
Makueni high school students
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After the release of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) on May 10, the parents have reportedly been contacting the schools that performed well in an attempt to canvass their way in.

"The ministry should have done the selection early and issued us with admission letters so that we may know the requirements by the schools and prepare our children," lamented one of the parents.

School principals, on the other hand, have maintained that their hands are tied and that the parents have to wait until the process is opened by the Ministry of Education.

"It is normal for parents to do so but our stand is, wait first until the selection is done. From the experience of the last two years, we cannot commit to or promise anything.

"There is little that can be done since everything will be online on the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS)," explained Lenana School Principal William Kemei.

Another principal in an Embu corroborated with Kemei noting that they could not issue admission letters even though students had sent applications.

Some schools such as Alliance and Kenya High are also known to preselect the students they want to admit before the national selection exercise is rolled out.

The form one students are expected to join form one in the last month of July.

Education CS Magoha speaking to learners of Chavakali High School, Vihiga County on March 6, 2021.
Education CS Magoha speaking to learners of Chavakali High School, Vihiga County on March 6, 2021.
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