Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has revealed that he is receiving pressure from members of the public to finalise on the placement of the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates into Form 1.
The CS, however, stated that he will not be forced into announcing the results, reiterating that he takes his orders from President Uhuru Kenyatta alone.
Magoha also assured that the selection process will be fair, and will ensure all the students get the best schools regardless of social status.
“Form One selection will commence soon and we will announce to the public. I want to politely ask the people barraging me with requests that I get my orders from one person and that person is President Uhuru Kenyatta and I think I work with him well enough,” Magoha stated.
The CS yesterday, May 24 alluded to interference in the placement process by highly-connected individuals who were securing slots for underqualified students in the country's top national schools at the expense of bright needy children.
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In what came as a shocker, the CS postponed the selection process, leaving learners and parents anxious to know institutions they will join.
"The ministry is concluding a meticulous Form One selection exercise for the 2020 KCPE exam results.
"I will be releasing the selection results on Tuesday, June 15,” Magoha stated.
Initially, the results of the placement exercise were scheduled to be released on May 28, 2021.
The CS who was speaking at the St. Joseph's Kang'ethe Primary School stated that the extended period would allow the Ministry to ensure all needy children get the schools of their choice.
“I will be taking part in the selection myself. We have to stop this thinking that we just crop the second-best and leave the crème de la crème because there is nobody to speak for them. Students should, therefore, not have any stress,” he said.
Magoha, however, noted that a majority of top performers had selected the original national schools, avoiding the recently elevated national schools at county level, which was occasioned by devolution.
He assured me that the process will be thorough and fair in ensuring balance in the placement.
