Top KCPE candidates to join Alliance and Pangani schools

Andy Munyiri, the top candidate in the 2019 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) national exams, will join Alliance High School in Kiambu.

Munyiri, a pupil at Damacrest Academy in Thogoto, was top in the KCPE test after scoring 440 out of a possible 500 marks.

In the Form One selection results announced on Monday, top girls in the exam — June Jeptoo and Onyango Flavian, who tied at 439 marks — landed slots at Pangani Girls and Alliance Girls respectively.

A total of 1,075,201 out of 1,083,456 candidates got places in secondary schools, according to Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha.

OVERAGE CANDIDATES

Some 8,255 candidates were excluded because they were refugees, prisoners or overage.

“I’m going to seek audience with his excellency the President on the fate of overage candidates in the spirit of 100 per cent transition to secondary schools,” Prof Magoha said.

He was speaking at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development in Nairobi.

In the results, a total of 33,009 candidates were selected to join national schools, 184,816 got places in extra-county schools, 188,454 in county schools, 777 were placed in special needs schools, while 669,145 landed slots in sub-county schools.

At the same time, Prof Magoha asked secondary school principals not to turn away needy students for failure to raise the required school fees.

He also asked parents who are financially stable to contribute towards the development of infrastructure in schools.

But he said this should be voluntary and parents who lack resources should not be compelled to contribute.

The CS reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that every learner transits from primary to secondary school.

FACILITATE ENROLMENT

“To address barriers to secondary education, the ministry will continue working with the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government to facilitate the enrolment of every child in secondary school,” Prof Magoha said.

He added that the administrative arms of the national government will work with county and sub-county education officials to ensure that no child is locked out of secondary school.

“Ministry officials will be required to file accurate daily returns on the status of reporting to schools to ensure 100 percent transition. This means that parents, guardians and school managers must facilitate smooth admission of all children to secondary schools,” Prof Magoha said.