200,000 to miss Form 1 places
From left, Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang, KNEC CEO Paul Wasanga, KNEC Chairman Prof. Kabiru Kinyanjui, Parliamentary Education Committee chair Sabina Chege and Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi when the secretary released 2013 KCPE at Mitihani House on December 31, 2013. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI | FILE
What you need to know:
- Prof Kaimenyi noted that even with deliberate efforts to level the ground for all candidates, it was clear that the private candidates will still get more than their share of spaces in national schools.
- The 24 special schools will take 824 candidates while the 303 former provincial schools, now known as extra-county schools, will admit 53,625 students.
- Prof Kaimenyi added that youth polytechnics can absorb 100,000 candidates to pursue various courses, adding that more such institutions would be set up across the country.
Close to 200,000 candidates of the 2013 KCPE exam will miss secondary school places as public schools take up the lion’s share of slots in the top institutions.
Only 647,602 out of the 843,626 pupils would get places, Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi said Tuesday.
Speaking during the launch of Form One selection at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development in Nairobi, Prof Kaimenyi also disclosed that about 4,294 candidates from private schools will get slots in the 78 national schools.
“Candidates from private schools will take up 25 per cent of the national schools slots while the remainder will go to public schools,” he said.
Prof Kaimenyi noted that even with deliberate efforts to level the ground for all candidates, it was clear that the private candidates will still get more than their share of spaces in national schools.
He said measures were in place to ensure the proportionate sharing of national school slots between the two categories of candidates.
“About 77 per cent of the 2013 candidates will be able to join Form One this year. The remaining 23 per cent have an opportunity to pursue further education and training through alternative channels such as those in the directorate of youth training,” the minister said.
More than 17,175 candidates will join the 78 national schools, with 9,045 being male and 8,130 female.
The 24 special schools will take 824 candidates while the 303 former provincial schools, now known as extra-county schools, will admit 53,625 students.
The 1,330 county schools will admit 121,902 candidates, while 5,399 district schools will take 392,742.
The 933 private secondary schools will admit 61,334 candidates.
In 2012, 818,298 candidates sat for KCPE in which 628,051 secured places in secondary schools.
Prof Kaimenyi added that youth polytechnics can absorb 100,000 candidates to pursue various courses, adding that more such institutions would be set up across the country.
He said the selection has been computerised to make it more efficient, effective and transparent with the guiding principle being merit, choice, equity, national integration and availability of places.
Selection by extra-county schools will be on January 20 and 21, with sub-county schools picking students on the 22nd. “All students will report to their respective schools between February 3 and 10,” he said.
