Education officials in Homa Bay have started Form One placement of students who did not sit last year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams.

The process involves identifying the students from their former schools.

The education officials then check the competency of the student using the parameters of academic performance and consistency of attending school.

Homa Bay sub-county Director of Education Ziada Osano said they will put in place strategies to prevent people who want to take advantage of the directive yet they were not attending school before.

"We are going to consider the consistency of the students in attending school. This will help prevent masqueraders," Osano said.

The director will write a letter for placing the students to various secondary schools.

This will be followed by communication between parents and the school head teachers in order to have information on requirements for joining Form One relayed.

"We have begun writing letters for placing the students in schools," Osano said.

She noted that they had identified 25 pupils who did not sit for 2023 KCPE exams. The pupils failed to sit the national examination due to various reasons.

Osano said they want to ensure all the students are admitted to Form One.

The initiative is in line with Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu's directive that pupils who missed 2023 KCPE exams should join Form One.