193,000 candidates who sat 2014 KCPE exam to miss Form One places

Over 193,000 candidates who sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) will miss Form One places in 2015 due to limited chances in public and private secondary schools.

But candidates who scored less than the pass mark (250 marks) will secure places.

“We are therefore sure that all the candidates with a mark of 200 marks and above will be admitted into Form One,” said Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi.

While releasing this year’s KCPE results, Prof Kaimenyi said 687,000 candidates will find Form One places representing about 78 per cent of 880,486 who sat for the examination. However, 193,486 will have no places.

Last year, about 200,000 candidates who sat the 2013 KCPE examination missed Form One places. The transition rate stood at 70 per cent, meaning there is significant improvement.

Kaimenyi said that admission places have risen this year thanks to expansion in public and private secondary schools.

He noted that 27 schools that were upgraded to national school status will begin admitting students in addition to the 78 national schools that were already in existence. This brings the total number of national schools to 105.

ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS

Competition for admission into national schools is expected to remain high even with the increase in the number of such schools.

“Indeed, the ministry intends to admit even more candidates into Form One in the coming years until we reach a situation where every candidate sitting for KCPE exams can be assured of a place in secondary schools,” he said.

Kaimenyi emphasised that there is still hope for those who miss Form One places, saying such candidates should join youth polytechnics which are now in almost every county.

“Such candidates can attain the highest level of education if they so wish through alternative pathways,” he said.

The Education boss said the Kenya National Examinations Council will be inviting applications for courses which class 8 pupils who do not make it to Form One can apply for, and encouraged parents and guardians of such children to enroll them to boost their career paths.

Kaimenyi said that admission of KCPE candidates into public secondary schools will be based on an appropriate combination of merit, quotas, equity, affirmative action and student choice.

He said that efforts will be made to ensure that children from poor backgrounds continue with their education when the selection is done.

Some 40 per cent of the slots in county schools will be reserved for candidates from the schools’ host county, a further 40 per cent for candidates from other counties and 20 per cent for candidates from the host district.

All candidates are allowed to choose four national schools when registering for their KCPE examinations. They also choose three county schools. Of these, two must be from within their counties.