Ray of hope for Form One pupils

Frustrated parents of candidates who sat last year’s KCPE exams and scored good marks but have been admitted to lowly-ranked schools are pegging their hopes on a revised selection to take place later this month and a planned court battle.

Parents across the country are also flocking to their preferred schools in attempts to negotiate for placement directly with principals.

The Kenya National Parents Association deputy chairman John Kireria said some schools had recorded a high number of requests from parents who were not satisfied with schools which their children have been admitted to.

“I have seen a school where more than 200 requests have been filed by candidates. Parents need to understand the importance of making the right secondary school choices so that the can advise their children accordingly,” Mr Kireria said.

Kaaga Girls High School Principal Lucy Mugambi said that parents started booking Form One slots immediately after the release of KCPE results, weeks before Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi officially launched the selection.

“We are feeling the pressure of parents who are coming every day to look for slots. The ministry allocated us the requisite 180 students. We were given students with marks ranging from 340 to 424 marks from both private and public schools,” Ms Mugambi said.

Meru County Education Director Willy Machocho said that parents have a right to look for Form One places in schools they prefer.

“Once the process is done nationally, there is an opportunity for replacement through the second selection. This is slated for February 19. All schools in the county will meet and review the vacancies and they will be filled by merit in a process controlled by the ministry,” he said.

Even as parents and pupils look forward to the options with a glimmer of hope, the chaos, confusion, frustration and anger that has followed the Form One selection is headed to court this week as parents and private school owners seek to know the actual formula used to pick students.

Kenya Private Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndoro said the private schools had only been allocated 22 per cent of slots which amounted to discrimination.

But the Education Cabinet Secretary insists some of the pupils who missed out on national schools despite performing well were not prudent in making their choices.

KAIMENYI’S DEFENCE

“I advise you to choose secondary schools intelligently. In the selection process, we found that the first, second and third choices that some candidates made are very competitive, so they end up missing all the chances and are admitted to district schools,” Prof Kaimenyi told journalists after attending the Kenya National Parents Association national delegates’ conference.

He spoke as outrage mounted over the process.

In Kilifi, a 13-year-old girl is distraught after failing to secure an admission to Form One despite scoring 360 marks.

Natasha Tinga, who sat her exams at Isaac Nyondo primary school in Rabai, did not receive any admission letter.

She had selected Mary Hill, Mama Ngina, Bura Girls and Alliance Girls high schools when registering for exams.

“My friend scored 252 marks and she was admitted to St Brigid’s Girls High school in Kitale and I am wondering why I have not gotten a school,” she said.

Kilifi County Director of Education Dickson ole Keis urged Natasha and other affected students to report to his office on Monday.

The anguish is no different in Kisumu.

In Rae Mixed Primary School, the top pupil with 402 marks hoped to join Alliance High School.

When the selection was completed, her admission letter was missing but she was later selected to join Rae Girls Secondary school in Ahero — a county school.

NOT HAPPY

Keith Adede Niga, a former pupil at Xaverian Primary School in Kisumu, is certain that the national selection was not based on one’s choices.

“I scored 426 marks but have been selected to join Kisumu Boys High. My first and second choices were Alliance and Maseno,” the teenager told Sunday Nation as he fought back tears.

“We are trying to secure him a chance at Maseno,” said his mother Rachel Ashoka.

In Bomet County, candidates of St Mary’s Day Mixed Primary School, Faith Chepkirui (423 marks), Sandra Cherotich (419 marks) and Lawrence Rono (400 marks) were selected to join county schools in Bomet.

Michael Oduor Ahaya, 13, from Changamwe Constituency is in a shock after landing a Form One place at Mrima Secondary School in Likoni Constituency — which he did not choose.

After scoring 407 marks, he expected to join either Maranda, Nakuru or Mangu high schools.

In Vihiga County, Jackline Chahasi could not hide her disappointment after her son missed a chance to join a national school.

Mrs Chahasi’s son, a former pupil at Shalom Academy in Vihiga scored 400 marks and has been selected to join Nyang’ori Boys High School.

Frida Onyango, a former pupil at Ngenge Mixed Primary School could not hold back tears after she failed to join a national school.

She scored 382 marks but was selected to join Agai Mixed Secondary in Nyakach, Kisumu County.

In Nyeri’s Good Shepherd Academy, which produced one of the top candidates in last year’s exam, with 437 marks, only four candidates out of the 31 pupils who scored 400 marks and above were selected to join national schools of their choice.

At Brookfield Academy, only two of the eight pupils who scored 400 marks and above secured an opportunity to join their dream schools.

The head teacher Miricho Waitu said the discrimination against private schools had discouraged pupils and some parents have started transferring their children to public schools.

In Nyamira County, the County Executive Member for Education Gladys Momanyi asked the Minister for Education to explain to parents why all 5,584 pupils who scored 400 marks and above were not absorbed in the more than 17,000 slots in national schools.

A parent, James Moindi Manoti, said he was bitter after realising that his daughter, Judith Moraa who sat her KCPE exam at Z– Green View Academy was not among those selected to join a national school.

Moraa, who scored 400 marks, had been selected to join Form One at Kereri Girls, a sub-county school in Kisii County.

In Meru, Freds Academy director Fredrick Mutwiri said that despite his school posting impressive results with 36 candidates attaining 400 marks and above, half of them missed out on their first choice of national and extra-county schools.

Mr Mutwiri cited one of their top candidates Willen Gitonga who scored 426 marks but missed on all his national school choices. He was slotted in his last choice of an extra-county school.

2014 candidates: High-scorers disappointed

• Moses Kinoti Karithi a former pupil at Freds Academy Meru attained 423 marks and was hoping to secure a place in Maseno School but was admitted at Murang’a High School. He says he is disappointed and not ready to join the school.
• Whitney Judy Nyachoti scored 412 marks at Lubinu primary school in Kakamega County has been admitted to The Sacred Heart School.
• Shabach Ebenezer Baraka a former pupil at Golden Elites Academy in Kisumu scored 393 marks. He has been admitted at Nyabondo Boys High School, a county school.
• Willen Gitonga a former pupil at Freds Academy Meru scored 426 marks had been admitted to a county school. He, however, says he has secured a place at Moi Kabarak High School.
• Lizbeth Nyambeki who scored 413 at Keruguya Good Shephards Academy Kirinyaga County was selected to join Mutira Girls Secondary School. She hoped to join Moi Girls Eldoret.
• Keith Adede Niga formerly of Golden Elites Academy in Kisumu cored 402. He was called at Kisumu Boys High School.

Reports by: Maryanne Gicobi, Rebecca Okwany, Everline Okewo, Faith Nyamai, Henry Nyarora and David Muchui