Parents ask State to extend Form One admission deadline

Education CS Fred Matiang'i during the release of 2016 KCPE exam results at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) in Nairobi on December 01 2016. [PHOTO: DAVID NJAAGA/STANDARD}

Parents of students joining Form One have appealed to the Government to extend the admission deadline.

A circular issued by Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i required candidates who sat the 2016 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams and secured slots in national schools to report to their respective schools by yesterday.

But a survey by The Standard in national schools within and around Nairobi revealed that most students had not reported.

The parents said school fees and other monies required for other requirements made it hard for them to meet the deadline.

Some 5,143 pupils who scored 400 marks and above are among the 22,000 who were to join the 103 national schools.

The Standard has learnt that not all students who were admitted to Pangani Girls High School, Kenya High School, Mang'u Boys High School, Lenana School, both Alliance Girls and Boys had reported. Roselyne Nyinge, whose son secured admission at Mang'u High School, was struggling to meet the deadline.

"I paid fees last week but we were turned away because we didn't have Sh5,000 for school uniform. I am worried the boy might miss the chance," she said.

Justin Njagi, whose daughter was to join State House Girls High School, is also worried that she might lose the chance.

"I am unable to raise all the money needed. Having seen the struggle parents are undergoing to get their children admitted to Form One, my chance will go because many are willing even to buy the chances," he said.

Kenya High School Principal Florah Mulatya admitted that the turnout had been slow.

"We have received a majority of those we selected. We are hopeful that by the end of the day, all will have turned up. We are admitting them even if they haven't cleared their term one fees," Ms Mulatya said. Maranda High School Principal Boaz Owino confirmed the situation was the same in his school, in Nyanza.

Zablon Awange, Kisumu executive general secretary of Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers called on Dr Matiang'i to relax some of the ministry's rules to enable the students to join schools of their choice.