At least 10 children who sat last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam and were yet to join Form One have been rescued from a Nairobi slum.
During the mop-up exercise in Mukuru-Kisii slum in South B Ward on Monday, Children’s Volunteer Welfare Officer Judith Muhonja said the pupils will join secondary school.
”Some parents were hiding their children while others could not raise [school] fees.”
She added: “Poverty index is high in Mukuru slums, some families, especially single parents, are unable to put food on the table.”
100 PER CENT TRANSITION
The government had ordered chiefs and Nyumba Kumi initiative members to track 2019 KCPE candidates who have not reported to secondary schools.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said the government is determined to achieve its 100 per cent transition policy.
The transition policy – launched last year – is one of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy projects in education, with the CS saying “it is better to have a child in school under a tree than have him or her loitering at home”.
During the countrywide mop-up exercise, village administrators were instructed to take learners who are yet to enroll for secondary education to the nearest day schools.
VOCATIONAL COLLEGES
The CS said that those who have decided to repeat Standard Eight and mature learners who decide to join technical and vocational colleges will be exempted.
On girls who have married instead of joining Form One, the CS said provincial administrators had been instructed to pull them out of the marriages and escort them to nearby secondary schools.
He further warned school principals against turning away needy learners, saying such action is illegal and amounts to crime.
The CS had visited some needy students in informal settlements in Mukuru Kwa Njenga and Chokaa areas.
In the transition rate, the CS announced that Murang’a County had surpassed its target as it was standing at 127 per cent followed by Nyeri at 110 per cent.
Nairobi city was at 111 per cent, Vihiga (110 per cent) and Tharaka-Nithi 106 per cent.