Chiefs in Meru to help monitor Form One admissions

Chiefs and their assistants in Meru County are expected to give status reports of Form One admissions in two weeks in the government’s bid to attain 100 percent transition to secondary schools.

Meru County Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga said they are engaging the administrators, children offices and primary school headteachers in tracking all children who sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam in the county last year.

More than 34,000 candidates sat KCPE exam in Meru and chiefs are expected to ensure all transit to secondary schools.

Last year, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i directed chiefs to compile lists of all candidates in their jurisdictions to facilitate placement in secondary schools.

CHILD LABOUR

“The chiefs are required to trace every child who sat KCPE exam and establish which school they are joining. We will also countercheck with high schools to ensure they have reported. In cases where children who should be in school are engaged in labour, we have tasked the children’s department to deal with those involved,” Mr Nyagwanga said.

He noted that chiefs will also monitor Class One admissions and transition from one class to another in an effort to reduce cases of school dropouts.

“I urge all leaders to support us in this endeavour. The county government and constituency development funds should move in and support those unable to pay fees. However, there is no excuse for not joining high school because day secondary schools are free,” he said.

Mr Nyagwanga warned parents and guardians against frustrating the government’s efforts to ensure all children access basic education.