Form One selection flawed, says ODM
What you need to know:
- Mr Namwamba said pupils who scored high marks failed to secure secondary school places yet those with lower marks did.
- A public outcry followed the selection after it emerged that some candidates who scored high marks were admitted to lowly-ranked schools.
- Kenya Private Schools Association chief executive officer Peter Ndoro said the private schools had only been allocated 22 per cent of spaces, which he said amounted to discrimination.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has demanded investigations into the system used in the selection of candidates for Form One.
Secretary-General Ababu Namwamba further asked the Education ministry to publish the names of all candidates who qualified, their marks and the schools they have been admitted to.
Mr Namwamba said pupils who scored high marks failed to secure secondary school places yet those with lower marks did.
He said the admission of the 2014 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education candidates to Form One was disappointing.
“ODM is therefore demanding an urgent, independent and transparent probe into what is turning out to be a flawed admission of 2014 KCPE candidates to Form One,” he said in a statement.
“The ministry must also publish the names of candidates who are yet to be admitted despite their marks, with an explanation on the way forward.”
Mr Namwamba is also the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee in the National Assembly.
A public outcry followed the selection after it emerged that some candidates who scored high marks were admitted to lowly-ranked schools.
Frustrated and angry parents and private school owners intend to go to court to compel the ministry to give the 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 spaces, which he said amounted to discrimination.
However, Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi has insisted that some of the pupils who missed out on national schools despite performing well were not prudent in making their choices.
