CS Magoha rubbishes parents claims on Form One selection

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has denied claims that most KCPE 2019 candidates were not placed in their preferred schools of choice.

Speaking in Mombasa during a national meeting of primary school headteachers, Magoha maintained that the selection process was thorough and all the students choices were put into consideration.

“They were placed in their first choices and the schools they are crying foul about were not number one choice you can go and cross check our data, it’s available,” said Magoha.

His response comes amid outcry by some parents who claimed that their children had missed placements in their schools of choice.

Reports had earlier indicated that 30,000 candidates were placed in schools they had not chosen due to unavailability of vacancies in home counties.

In Laikipia, Patricia Lelegwe from Rumuruti area alleged that her daughter has been admitted at a school she never applied for and now want it reverted.

The KCPE candidate, Abigael Naseiyan, was a student at Familia Takatifu primary school and scored 384 marks in the KCPE exams.

She had reportedly indicated Pangani Girls as her school of choice but was admitted at Kisima Girls Secondary, a school she apparently never applied for.

Her mother said they had to leave Samburu to avoid going through Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) but with the placement they will be forced to go back.

She now want the CS to help her revert the choice so that her daughter can be able to study and focus on her education.

CS Magoha however urged those with such complaints to countercheck their children’s choices.

33,009 candidates were placed to national schools  184,816 getting places in extra-county schools.

188,454 will join county schools while majority of the 2019 KCPE candidates totaling 669,145 will settle in sub-county schools.

All learners selected to join national, extra-county and county schools will receive admission letters online.

After downloading the document, the learner must present the letter to the headteacher of the primary school where they sat for their KCPE exam for authentication.

The letter will further be verified by the principal of the admitting school.

Principals will then confirm that letters presented to them belong to learners strictly in their selection list before admitting the student.

Candidates joining county and sub-county schools will know the schools they will join from Tuesday, December 10, 2019.