A boy from Murang'a County, who scored 375 marks in last year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, has been chosen to join a girls' school.
Peter Karuga, 14, received a letter of admission to Kathiani Girls' High School in Machakos County to the shock of his family.
Karuga's mother Elizabeth Wanjiiru expressed her disappointment saying such a mistake was irresponsible and unacceptable.
"There is evidence of inaccuracy. How can a boy be selected to join a girls' secondary school yet in the KCPE registration he was marked as a boy?" Ms Wanjiru was quoted by the Standard.
Karuga's spirits were, however, lifted by Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau who made arrangements which eventually secured him a slot at Njiiri Boys High School.
Following the review of Form One selection process, the outcome has always sparked criticism from parents with children who sat for the national examination in private schools.
While releasing guidelines on form one selection in December 2015, Education Principle Secretary Belio Kipsang said that five top boys and girls in every sub-county would be placed in national schools of their choice.
Mr Kipsang affirmed that the selection would be based on merit, equity and choice of school.
“At national, extra-county and county levels, selection is fully computerised and based on merit and candidates' choice as much as possible,” he said.
However, the PS said that selection of students joining extra county schools would be in the ratio of 70:30- public to private school.
This decision has often been opposed by private schools that see the process favouring candidates from public schools despite their pupils performing better.
The Education Ministry however, has severally attributed the review to lack of sufficient academic resources in public schools hence children in such schools were at a lesser advantage to perform well compared to their counterparts in private institutions.
