Parents risk jail over poor Form One turnout

Parents risk jail over poor Form One turnout

Thika Deputy County Commissioner Tom Anjere has cautioned parents still keeping their children at home that they could be liable for imprisonment.

The warning comes after it emerged that many schools across the country had reported low Form One admission rate despite the government announcing free secondary school education.

The DCC was addressing the sub-county heads at a meeting held at the Thika High School Chapel.

“We are here to ensure that we have full implementation of the government policy on free secondary education. Last Friday we conducted a survey around the primary schools in this sub-county, and we were able to obtain data that reveals that about 355 students are yet to join Form One,” said Mr. Anjere.

“We have therefore tasked the chiefs and village elders to mop out their sub-locations to ensure that any child who finished Class 8 is not left behind. It is going to be a criminal matter, the children’s officer is also privy to this, and we have agreed that we are going to work together,” added the DCC.

Anjere also suggested that the low transition rate could be due to parents waiting to get their children spaces in perceived better schools as opposed to the ones they were called to, but advised them to enroll the children into the closest day secondary schools.

Thika District Education Officer Ronald Mbogo, who was also present at the function, said that the government was facing a challenge of limited spaces and, therefore urged school principals to add at least one stream in their various schools to ensure 100% transitioned was attained.

Thika MP, Patrick Wainaina, also present at the meeting, addressed complaints received by his office from members of the public claiming that some principals of the public day schools in the area had been sending home children who did not have money to cater for their lunch meals.

The legislator said that it was a shame for the government to pay tuition fees for students only for them to stay out of class because of lunch money.

He further added that should there be a problem like that in any school, they should contact the CDF office instead of sending the helpless students home.

“It is criminal to send to a child home because of lunch money. And if we get you, you’re going to lose your job and, most likely, you’re going to go in,” said the legislator.

 

Tags:

DCC Tom Anjere DEO Ronald Mbogo Form One transition MP Patrick Wainaina Parents risk jail over poor Form One turnout Thika CDF Office Thika High School

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