Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has warned parents to ensure that their children report to Form One by Friday, September 3, or risk being arrested.
Speaking during a mop-up exercise in Kiandutu slums in Thika on Tuesday, August 31, Magoha stated that the national government flanked by the police would arrest all parents who deny their children the right to education.
The CS added that there is no reason for children to continue staying at home while the government pays capitation to secondary schools.
“75 percent of all the 10,000 public secondary schools in the country are day schools, and we pay for all the school fees in these schools except for uniforms and food.
"Why must students stay home? If we find out that you are keeping a child who has finished primary school at home by Friday, you will be arrested,” Magoha stated.
The CS affirmed that the government is enhancing efforts to ensure the 100-percent transition rate from primary to secondary schools. He added that the rate stands at 96 percent nationally.
At the same time, Magoha issued a warning to school heads sending students home over various grievances such as lack of a school uniform. He added that the principals ought to allow the students to continue with their education.
“Our target is to achieve 100-percent transition by Friday. Education is the only game-changer in our society.
"We have already paid first term capitation for all our students and see no reason for any student to stay home,” he acknowledged.
The Education Ministry has been stringent in its efforts in ensuring the 100-percent transition rate.
This has seen Magoha alongside other education officials engage in mop-up exercises across the counties with the worst transition rate in a bid to resolve the situation.
Currently, Garissa, Kilifi, and Kwale counties have been pegged with the lowest transition rate while Nyanza, Central, Eastern, and Nairobi have recorded the highest number of students enrolment to secondary schools.
