Hunt for truants starts in Kwale with lowest Form 1 enrollment in Kenya

A countrywide search for missing Form 1s was launched on Monday and CS George Magoha started in Kwale with lowest transition, 60 per cent.

The countrywide average is 85 per cent.

The CS and security officers moved from one village to the next, fetching students who failed to re port and taking them to school.

Two girls were tracked down and taken to Waa girls Secondary School on full government sponsorship.

The mission countrywide: Find the KCPE exam candidates who should be in Form 1 and take them to class.

Or find out why they haven't registered: pregnancy, marriage, work, health or they just don't care for school.

Kwale's transition of KCPE exam learners is the lowest countrywide despite a bursary programme.

"The Coast did not do very well, Kwale in particular, that's why we are here," Magoha told reporters.

He spoke at Mtakuja Ng'ombeni village in Matuga while enforcing the nationwide education transition.

At least 63 learners there didn't join Form 1.

About 30 of them are from Zibani Primary School in Matuga, which had 86 candidates. 

Last year, more than 22,000 candidates sat he Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam in Kwale

In 2014, the Kwale government launched the Elimu Ni Sasa bursary programme to help needy students get opportunities.

Similar searches were taking place countrywide, targeting high performing students who failed to transit, as well as those with low marks.

Magoha said the government is determined to ensure all students have reported back to school.

There is no negotiation about education and poverty is no excuse for not taking children to school, he said.

"Poverty is everywhere and I think it is just a mindset we have to get rid of because children have no place at home," the CS said.

He also warned school heads against turning away children for lack of fees

Magoha said the government pays tuition fees and education stakeholders should work together to ensure all students remain in school.

In the morning, the CS was in Mombasa where he visited the Bangladesh slums, launching a door-to-door transition campaign.

(Edited by V. Graham)