Study shows students still being forced to repeat
Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i addresses students of Nyaura Secondary School in Nyaribari Chache, Kisii County, on February 20, 2017 after giving the school money for infrastructure. Some students are still being asked to repeat classes. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The report indicates that some parents or students themselves request the repetition.
- The NTA report also showed that pupils’ retention in schools remained a challenge.
Students not performing well academically are still being made to repeat classes despite a ban on the practice, a new study has shown.
The report by National Taxpayers Association dubbed The School Report Card (2016), indicates that some parents or students themselves request the repetition.
“Despite a directive prohibiting student repetition, about 65 per cent of schools admitted having such cases,” the report that was released on Saturday says.
REMEDIAL TEACHING
The practice was banned in 2014 following concerns by parents.
The Education Act says learners who do not attain set targets should be helped to improve their performance through prescribed remedial teaching.
MODERATING FACTORS
An earlier study by the Kenya National Examinations Council established that repetition rarely helped students improve their grades.
The NTA report also showed that pupils’ retention in schools remained a challenge as it was driven by family income status and general truancy.
“Sickness accounts for more than 50 per cent of pupil absenteeism.
"On the other hand, a number of children are skipping school for no good reason; truancy accounts for 26 per cent of absenteeism, child labour (7.5 per cent) and boda boda riding, watching movies/football or playing video games (4.2 per cent)," the report adds.
“Though paltry, some pupils are sent home when they report late to school in the morning.”
BOOK RATIO
Learners in public schools are still sharing books despite more than 10 years of education funding.
“Students are still sharing textbooks, with at least three other pupils on average from Standard One to Eight.
"Just three schools reported a pupil-book ratio of 1:1,” says the report.
