• Heads fear reprisal for failure, force pupils to repeat classes.
• Numbers of dropouts higher than that of this year's KCPE registered candidates.
Image: VICTOR IMBOTO
A report has revealed a worrying trend in which 1.4 million pupils dropped out of school before sitting the KCPE exam since 2014.
The Economic Survey 2019 shows that large numbers of learners are dropping out of school at the end of their seventh year in primary school.
The five-year assessment between 2014 and last year reveals that at least 200,000 learners exit primary school each year.
In general, 267,200 students who were in Class 7 in 2014 could not make it to Class 8.
It was similar in 2015 when 272,300 students did not proceed to Class 8, another 303,000 in 2016 and 301,900 in 2017.
This is despite an increased enrolment in primary schools standing at 10.5 million learners last year.
Explaining the big numbers of dropouts, primary school heads said unnecessary competition created by the 8-4-4 system is to blame for most students failing to transit to Class 8.
Kenya Primary School Heads Association secretary general David Mavuta on Friday said most of those who fail to transit repeat the former class due to poor performance.
The ripple effects of this result in dropouts of learners who are reluctant to repeat classes, Kenya Parents Association chair Nicholas Maiyo told the Star on Friday.
Maiyo blames headteachers who fear victimisation by the government due to poor performance, thus forcing the low performers to repeat.
"When a child is forced to take a class more than once against their will they are demoralised. Somesome hesitantly agree to repeat but some have guts and opt out of school and they are never willing to go back," Maiyo said.
These numbers account for more than the number of candidates who sat last year's KCPE examination.
The number is also higher than the 1.08 million candidates registered to sit this year's KCPE exam.
These are children who have just entered their teenage years and are yet to receive any academic certificate.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association chair Indimuli Kahi on Friday said the decision by learners to drop out is detrimental as both the formal and public sectors require at least a Form 4 certificate.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)