Butula MP Joseph Oyula has said it may take long for the state to ensure that all learners undertake their studies in a safe and friendly environment.
The MP said many schools in the country still have no capacity to accommodate all students they admit due to insufficient infrastructure including classrooms, laboratories and dormitories.
He said for the government to achieve its target of seeing all Class 8 candidates join Form 1, there is a need to shift attention to the development of school facilities.
This will enable learning institutions accommodate the learners without straining.
The MP was speaking at Kingandole Secondary School on Sunday.
He said the government should focus on preparing a budget that will support the employment of more teachers to attend to the secondary school learners.
“We have to prepare ourselves for this new system because it will need a lot of construction to cater for the large numbers of students,” the MP said.
“It is a complicated system, but since the government has brought it up, we have no option but to embrace it.
"However, the government needs to play its role of ensuring there is enough infrastructure in schools to accommodate all the students transiting from primary to secondary school.
He commended Education CS George Magoha for his relentless efforts in ensuring all pupils who were admitted to secondary school do not remain at home.
The MP spoke four days after the government reported that it had accounted for all students in its bid to ensure 100 per cent transition to secondary schools.
However, Education CS George Magoha last week blamed parents’ attitude and poverty for setback challenges which his ministry faced in realising the 100 per cent transition.
On Thursday last week, Magoha said that his ministry had managed to account for 100 per cent of the 1,171,265 candidates who were selected to join Form 1.
In a statement, the CS said 1,129,637 had been placed in Form 1 in public and private schools.
He also said some 2,658 have registered to resit the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination.
The CS said 11,213 have joined TVET while 1,193 either moved away from their homes or are deceased.
“This data clearly shows that we have successfully achieved the spirit of the 100 per cent transition policy,” Magoha said.
The CS said 17 counties have successfully recorded 100 per cent transition rate.
Magoha said other counties are on the verge of hitting the 100 per cent transition.
“I wish to urge parents, guardians and teachers to co-operate with the National and county government officials to devise strategies of raising transition rates in the affected counties,” he said.
Over the period of the exercise, Magoha said he came face to face with poverty.
“This was as I visited homes to find candidates who had given up hope of joining Form 1,” he said.
However, he noted that 50 poor children are now in schools of their choice after a scholarship was offered to them.
“I appeal to the private sector to partner with the government in providing scholarships to needy and vulnerable children in the country,” he said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
