Shock as Murang'a boy receives letter to join girls’ school

KENYA: A 14-year-old boy from Murang'a has been selected to join a girls' secondary school in Machakos.

Peter Karuga, who got 375 marks in last year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations, received an admission letter to join Kathiani Girls' High School.

Speaking at her home in Ngurwe-ini village, Master Karuga's mother Elizabeth Wanjiru, expressed shock, saying the bizarre incident was irresponsible and unacceptable. Ms Wanjiru called for caution during future Form One selections.

"There is evidence of inaccuracy. How can a boy be selected to join a girls' secondary school yet in the KCPE registration he was marked as a boy?" she wondered. Karuga, who was hoping to join either Mang'u or Murang'a High School, said he first though that someone was playing a prank on him. He only believed it when he saw his name and index number on the admission letter.

The boy was, however, accepted at Njiiri High School after Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau intervened.

"The family raised the matter with my office in Kigumo and I approached the school management," Mr Kamau said.

The lawmaker asked education officers to supervise future Form One selections to ensure similar incidents do not occur.

According to the new Form One selection guidelines, the top five candidates of either gender in each sub-county are supposed to be placed in national schools of their choice where possible irrespective of whether they sat their exams at public or private primary schools.

Where sub-counties miss slots due to low candidature, affirmative action is applied. Former Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi said the reviewed guidelines would ensure proportionate sharing of Form One places between public and private schools.

The revised guidelines also grouped 103 national schools into four clusters. Candidates will be expected to choose one school from each cluster.

The guidelines further require candidates to choose three extra-county schools.