Why Candidates In Slum Areas Were Given First Priority During Form 1 Placement Excercise

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 12 – During the form one selection and placement exercise on Monday, Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha revealed that the Ministry applied affirmative action provision for candidates who sat for their 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination in slum areas.

The move meant that candidates that performed well were given the first priority during the exercise and placed in the schools of their choice. This was in the national and extra-county category.

567 learners were placed in their first-choice national schools.

“A further intervention was done by reserving an additional 314 places in national and extra-county schools,” said Magoha.

The affirmative action targeted slum areas in Thika, Nyeri, Kisumu, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Eldoret.

“This intervention is in line with the directive of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s rallying call that we consider needy and vulnerable children in informal settlements in urban areas. With such interventions, a candidate like Kimberly Grace with 368 marks From Mji wa Huruma slums is joining The Kenya High school. Grace is just one among many similar cases,” he said.

All the 1,225,502 candidates that sat their 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams have secured positions in secondary schools across the country.

And in line with the government’s 100 percent transition policy, no child will be denied access to secondary school education.

Amidst the progressive and good news, scores of learners are said to have missed out on being placed in their school of choice.

Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha cited ‘a lack of guidance’ for candidates from teachers and parents alike.

According to Magoha, some schools reportedly attracted far too many applicants against their current capacities.

“During the selection, as was the case last year, it became clear to us that a big number of candidates did not receive proper guidance and direction when choosing schools,” he said.

Though it has long been a Ministry policy to attempt to place candidates in their school of choice, this time, despite observing the strictly applied principles of merit, choice, and equity in placing candidates in each school category, the exercise proved slightly difficult.

In the placement, the majority of candidates who scored 400 marks and above were still placed in National or Extra County schools of their choice.

The Special Needs candidates were also placed in the regular schools of their preference, while others were placed in special schools based on their disability categories, merit, and choice.

Government Subsidy And School Fees

During this financial year, the government released Sh62 billion under the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE).

“In this regard, I wish to point out that the Government provides KSh22,244 to cover tuition and related expenses for all public secondary school students. The Government provides capitation under Free Day Secondary Education for tuition, operations, and infrastructure improvement disbursed to schools based on enrollment,” he said.

Principals and Boards of Management have been directed to ensure the availed funds are used for the intended purposes which wail also facilitates the 100 percent transition policy.

Elimu Scholarship Programme

The Government has offered full scholarships for secondary education to 18,000 learners over the past two years.

This year, the government will make available 9,000 more scholarships. Out of these 4,000, beneficiaries will be drawn from the slums.

The aim according to Magoha is to,” enable many of the learners to break the ceiling and liberate their families from dehumanizing urban poverty.”

The form one students are now expected to report to school on May 3, 2022.