• The CS has asked parents to report to the police any case of extra charges imposed on them.
• The government will also pay secondary school fees for 9,000 students from poor backgrounds.
No school should turn away any Form 1 student for not having a uniform or fees, the government has directed.
The order also covers other essentials such as Kiswahili dictionary (Kamusi), Bible, English dictionary, hymn books, geometrical sets and sports equipment.
Education CS George Magoha on Wednesday instructed principals to admit learners who will not be in a position to have all requirements and give their parents time to get them.
“Let’s give a voice to the poor, we want to leave no child behind as we transform the Kenyan education together,” he said.
Magoha spoke in Nairobi where he launched 9,000 scholarships awarded to needy students. The directive is part of the government's tact to achieve the 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary schools, an initiative that was started in 2017.
The first batch of Form 1 students is set to report to school on February 13 and the exercise is set to continue to February 17.
Last year, the government admitted 92 per cent of learners who sat the 2018 KCPE exam. And in efforts to cushion parents, day school principals could land in trouble for requesting extra charges or expenses. The CS said with the day secondary school fee having been waived, not even principals will be spared for denying children an opportunity to learn by sending them home for extra expenses.
“The government takes care of day schools, which are the majority, and principals should not ask for more… If you find anybody doing anything that is not required, report him to the police,” Magoha said.
Statistics from the Education Ministry show that at least 70 per cent of learners attend day schools. The CS reiterated that all children who sat last year’s KCPE exam must be enrolled.
Magoha added that Sh8.2 billion will be used to improve the school infrastructure in areas identified as the poorest or most marginalised in the country.
Scholarships
Meanwhile, the government yesterday launched Sh3 billion government scholarships to cushion poor students from the heavy cost of secondary education.
The 9,000 candidates from poor, homeless and marginalised families who sat last year’s KCPE exams will benefit under the Elimu Fund Scholarship. Beneficiaries must have at least 280 marks.
Its funding is derived from the World Bank under the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP). It will benefit candidates from 110 targeted subcounties and 15 urban centres with informal settlements.
Education PS Belio Kipsang said plans to scale up the programme to a national level are underway.
National Assembly Education Committee chairman Julius Melly suggested plans to shift part of the funds used to purchase textbooks and equip secondary school laboratories. He further called for a speedy release of school capitation funds to avoid slowdown of operations in schools.