Schools call for fairness in Form One selection after KCPE release

Carmel Primary School, Utawala celebrate with their second top student Dan Roy Mwangi who scored 437 marks in the KCPE 2015 at the school. Over 25 pupils scored above 400 marks. PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE

ELDORET: Parents and stakeholders in the private sector have called for fairness in the distribution of Form One slots. They urged the government to ensure candidates who sat KCPE in public and private schools access equal opportunities through fair distribution of places in national, extra county and county schools.

Kenya Private Schools Association Uasin Gishu branch chairman Anthony Ndung’u said private schools performed well in the national examinations and pupils from those institutions should not be discriminated at all.

“All children regardless of where they went to school are Kenyans. Parents who send their children to private schools sacrifice for the sake of their children hence should not be discriminated,” Mr Ndung’u said.

The official, who spoke to The Standard on Saturday on telephone yesterday, said: “No child should be punished for performing well and no parent should be discouraged for sacrificing for the sake of the children”. He said not all children in private schools are from rich families, noting that some are from humble families whose parents sacrifice to keep them in school.

Ndung’u said private institutions supplement government’s efforts in providing quality education.

In Nairobi, owners of private schools said it would be unfair to discriminate against private schools in Form One selection.

“The notion that private schools are for the well-to-do is wrong because even in slums and rural areas, private schools exits,” said Mr Gideon Kyalo of Goodrich schools.

Kyalo, whose school was one of the top performers, said the ministry should not victimise pupils who study in private schools. “Let them have candidates’ interests at heart,” he said.

Another official who did not wish to be named said: “They sit the same exams from the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) hence all candidates should be rated equally and offered equal opportunities.”
He added that Form One places should be distributed without fear or favour. “Our constitution considers equity and accessibility to all opportunities and no children should be discriminated in Form One selection,” he said.