The government has put in place strategies to help locate 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates who are yet to join Form One in Trans Nzoia County.
Speaking to KNA, Trans Nzoia County Director of Education (CDE) Pamela Akello revealed a multi-sectoral approach to help achieve the goal, with local administrators taking centre stage.
Saying that the acquisition of basic education is a constitutional obligation that no Kenyan child should be denied, Akello said that 14 per cent of candidates who sat for the 2023 KCPE in Trans Nzoia County are yet to join Form 1.
Hinting at possible legal action against parents who are yet to take their children to school without tangible reasons, the CDE said they will treat each case as it comes.
“I am inviting all stakeholders to come on board and help us find those learners who are still at home for whatever reason.
It will be so unfortunate to hear that a child has not gone to school because of a lack of fees, especially in this era when we have so many well-wishers and bursaries,” she lamented.
On Grade Six to Junior Secondary School (JSS ) transition, the CDE revealed that the county has also not done well, as six per cent of the learners who sat the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) are yet to join Grade 7.
“When you are talking about junior learners, six per cent is a big margin which can’t just be ignored. We will not settle until all these learners are in class,” she vowed.
Revealing that some parents may have decided to take their children who sat KCPE and KPSEA in 2023 to vocational institutions, Akello criticised the move, saying that it’s not a noble step as it denies the child the basic education that the constitution calls for.
“The basic constitutional education requirement for each Kenyan child in the 8.4.4 system is up to Form 4.
A child who has just done KCPE and is being taken to a vocational institution is denied four years of basic education,” she informed.
By Emmanuel Katasi and Elizah Kimani
