Gov’t To Release Guidelines For Transition To Junior Secondary – Magoha

KIAMBU, Kenya, Jul, 20 – The Government will on Friday provide guidelines on the criteria of transiting learners from Grade Six to Junior Secondary School.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha said the guidelines would allow learners to select a registered secondary school of their choice whether public or private.

He said in case a learner decides to join a private school, they needed to do so in consultation with their parents and teachers due to school fees issues.

The CS said the government has constructed enough CBC classrooms over the past few months which are able to accommodate all the learners for Grade 7.

“If one chooses to join a private school, then he or she should do so in consultation with their teachers and parents in case of school fees issues,” he said.

He was speaking during the opening of CBC classes at Chania Girls High School in Thika town.

Magoha said learners in private primary school that have been registered as junior secondary might be retained in the same school for Grade 7_Grade 9 to save the government, parents and the learners the pressures of transitioning.

However, the CS noted that the learners would have to reapply afresh for admissions to senior secondary schools once they are through with Grade 9.

He said selection criteria for senior secondary would depend on the performance in the Grade 9 final exam.

“No learner will be guaranteed to remain in the same school when transitioning to senior secondary. Once results for Grade 9 exam come, you apply like the other students. Placements will be determined by performance. This means you might get enrolled at Kenya High for Junior Secondary but be placed at Moi High School in Eldoret for the Senior Secondary,” he said.

On the completion of CBC classrooms, the CS said over 7,000 classes had been completed and were working to deliver the remaining ones before his term lapses.

The CS recently launched Phase 11 of the project that is intended to put 3,503 classrooms to add on to the 6,497 that were constructed in  Phase 1 to increase space ahead of the transition to junior secondary school in January next year.

The revelation has raised concern among parents with some claiming that the constant shifting of learners from one school to the other would cause confusion and disruptions.

“How can a child study at one school for three years and then be forced to shift to another at such a young age? It would frustrate them especially if the senior school is far away from their home. The government need to ask for the opinions of stakeholders on this issue before frustrating the kids even further,” said Peter Mwaniki, a parent.