PS ordered to explain exams hitch
Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi (left) with Permanent Secretary Dr Belio Kipsang (right). Parents have been asked to meet the costs of providing laboratories, classrooms, libraries and dormitories in schools in a move that could deal a blow to the free primary education programme. PHOTO /DIANA NGILA
What you need to know:
- The PS is required to respond to a case filed by the chairman and the parents of Kibos Prison Primary School, who say the 2013 KCPE candidates from the school were omitted in the Form One selection after the institution was mistaken for a prison.
- The goal of the case is to compel the ministry to treat the former pupils of the school “as children from any other primary school and not as prison inmates” as is indicated in one of their court documents.
A judge has directed the Principal Secretary in the Education ministry to explain why 96 pupils from a Kisumu school were not selected to join Form One.
The PS is required to respond to a case filed by the chairman and the parents of Kibos Prison Primary School, who say the 2013 KCPE candidates from the school were omitted in the Form One selection after the institution was mistaken for a prison.
The school’s lawyer, Mr Richard Otieno, was yesterday granted permission by the High Court in Kisumu to draft a notice of motion seeking an explanation from the PS through the Attorney-General.
NOT PRISONERS
The goal of the case is to compel the ministry to treat the former pupils of the school “as children from any other primary school and not as prison inmates” as is indicated in one of their court documents.
The parties allied to the school moved to court on January 24 and Mr Justice Hillary Chemitei certified it as urgent.
The court heard that some of the pupils lost scholarships from Equity Bank and other institutions due to lack of admission letters to secondary schools.
Due to such inconvenience, they told the court that they wanted compensation from the ministry.
“The (principal secretary) should be compelled to compensate pupils for the loss incurred. Some were awarded scholarships by various financial institutions but lost out,” they said in their submissions.
Mr Newton Okech, the chairman of the school, further informed the court that the Education ministry issued an order early this month which barred the selection of candidates from the institution for secondary school slots on grounds that it was a school for inmates.
Mr Okech swore in his affidavit that the Kibos Prison Mixed is a public school whose pupils risked being denied their constitutional right to education.
The government was not represented during yesterday’s mention of the case before Mr Justice Aggrey Muchelule.
The hearing was adjourned until the Kibos lawyer can file and serve the Attorney-General and the Education Principal Secretary.
The next hearing date shall be fixed by the High Court registry.
