• The formula will first be used to place this year's KCPE candidates to secondary schools.
• Previously, some principals reportedly sold vacant Form One slots to the highest bidders.
The Ministry of Education is crafting a new formula to be used for Form One selection and placement for this year's KCPE candidates.
The details are yet to be disclosed but the Education ministry says it is eliminating barriers to ensure equity in slots' allocation.
Education CS George Magoha said while hinting at the change," The formula we are bringing on board will not have any human interference, and everybody with above 400 marks will proceed to national schools."
The current formula was created in 2007 but has been the subject of lengthy battles over its ability to ensure equity among all learners.
A dozen years later, advocates, lawmakers, and policymakers contend the formula ought to be reviewed to ensure fairness.
The slots will also be shared based on affirmative action, Magoha said yesterday.
In this year's exams, 1,088,987 learners will sit the KCPE examination.
A major shift in selection and placement of learners from primary to secondary schools has been made in the past eight months.
The placement to Form One remains one of the thorniest education issues in the country.
In particular, selection of learners to national schools which are viewed prestigious and a silver bullet to higher learning has been marred with insincerity.
Previously, some principals are said to have been selling vacant Form One slots to the highest bidders.
In May, Magoha opened a window for candidates to revise their choices of institutions.
This was a debut to the new rule that dictates that learners can review their selection to secondary schools of their choices in Term Two.
Traditionally, the candidates chose their secondary school after the announcement of the KCPE examination results.
Further, Education CS says there is a need to ensure affirmative action for learners in hardship areas is aligned to ensure equity among those targeted.
In January this year, the government banned the second selection process that traditionally has been used to fill in slots that failed to be filled in the admission of those who have been selected in the first placement exercise.
Further, the ministry now demands learners be admitted through the online portal NEMIS.
Under the new rule, school heads are expected to report online to the ministry all cases of students who fail to take up Form One slots in their schools.
The heads will declare the vacancies and also propose the names of students who have expressed interest to take up the available slots.