Day schools register slow uptake of Form One slots

Form one students heading to a dormitory after being cleared by school officials at Muthua-ini Girls Secondary School in Nyeri.[Kibata Kihu,Standard]

Day secondary schools are recording poor reporting rates of Form One students compared to boarding institutions, the Ministry of Education has revealed.

Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Sara Ruto said students selected to boarding schools are taking up slots at a higher rate of about 90 per cent.

The reporting trends in schools show those in Kirinyaga county leading at 85 per cent of reporting, said Dr Ruto.

However, Lamu, Tana River And Turkana counties have recorded the least reporting of Form One students.

Dr Ruto attributed the sluggish rate of taking up day schools slots to speculation among parents, who are still hoping to secure places in other schools.

“We encourage these students to take up their places and start learning,” said Dr Ruto, who also attributed the trend to challenges faced in changing schools.

“These are cases where parents having sought change of placement in schools and when it is executed, they decide that the original school is better or get a third school that they prefer,” said Dr Ruto.

She said in some cases, parents were changing placement but their children insist on the school they were selected to.

Dr Ruto also said that there have been instances of parents objecting to change in placement of their children.

After the results of the selection were announced on June 15, there are parents who placed requests in various schools and were asked to wait.