Conclusion of the 2021 Form One Reporting Exercise Under the 100 per cent Transition Policy
Press Release from education.go.ke
The official Form One reporting exercise for all public schools came to a close on August 14, 2021. By the end of the exercise, the country’s national transition rate stood at 80 per cent. This meant that about 300,000 candidates had not reported by the August 14, 2021 deadline for the Form One reporting exercise.
After a quick audit, the Ministry established that the low transition rates were as a result of the negative impact of COVID-19. The audit showed that the pandemic had:
- Deprived many families of their incomes and thereby affecting their ability to raise required schools fees for their children, especially those who had been selected to join boarding schools.
- Some families had moved from their original urban dwellings to rural homes, which meant that their children’s Form One preferences were changed due to the switch to new environments.
- A few principals had introduced levies, which raised the burden of payment to parents. As you are aware, the Teachers Service Commission has taken action on some of the cases.
Aware that the foregoing factors, and many more, could have derailed the reporting plans for some candidates, the Ministry of Education – together with the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government – launched a countrywide Form One Admission Mop Up Exercise on Monday 23rd August 2021.
I am happy to report that the three week Mop Up exercise has led to incredible results that have now seen the Transition Rate rise to 98 per cent. We have also managed to account for 100 per cent of the 1,171,265 candidates who were selected to join Form One based on the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examination as follows:
- A total of 1,129,637 (98 per cent) have been placed in Form One in all public and private schools.
- Some 2,658 have registered for the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examination
- Some 11,213 have joined TVET
- A total of 1,193 either moved away from their homes or are deceased.
These data clearly show that we have successfully achieved the spirit of the 100 per cent transition policy that has been enforced by the Government of President Uhuru Kenyatta over the last four years.
In terms of counties, I wish to state that 17 counties have successfully recorded 100 per cent transition rate, with 11 of them recording more than 100 per cent transition rate. Counties recording more than 100 per cent transition rate imply that they admitted all their 2020 KCPE candidature, and exceeded the number by accepting others from other counties. I wish to commend the counties of Tana River (107%), Lamu (104%), Nyandarua (101%), Nyeri (103%), Kakamega (101%), Homabay (101%), Nyamira (101%), Migori (101%), Wajir (102%), Isiolo (102%) and Mandera (102%) for exceeding the 100 per cent mark.
Other counties that recorded 100 per cent transition include Mombasa, Tharaka Nithi, Samburu, Bomet, Kisumu, and Kisii. I wish to commend the ASAL areas which have reporting high transition rates compared with many other well-endowed counties.
Other counties that are on the verge of hitting the 100 per cent transition mark are: Nairobi (99.7%), Kirinyaga (99%), Kiambu (99%), Machakos (99%), Makueni (99%), Kericho (99%), Vihiga (99%), Bungoma (99%), Siaya (99%), Garissa (98%), Murang’a (97%), Nakuru (97%), Laikipia (97%), Kajiado (97%) and Busia (97%). We expect most of these counties to attain the 100 per cent transition today.
In carrying out the Mop Up exercise, we faced challenges in a few counties where the attitude of parents towards sending their children to Form One was uninspiring. I wish to urge parents, guardians, teachers to cooperate with the National and County Government officials to devise strategies of raising transition rates in the affected counties.
As a Government, we have done everything possible to support our learners in secondary schools despite challenges of inadequate infrastructure in some schools. This year, the Government will support 9,000 Form One candidates with scholarships for the four year cycle, raising the number of beneficiaries to 18,000 in two years.
I wish to thank organisations such as Equity Group, KCB Group and Jomo Kenyatta Foundation that have supported thousands of learners with scholarships under their Community Social Responsibility programmes.
For instance, based on the just concluded Form One Admission Mop Up Exercise, I identified 50 candidates who will be offered full scholarships under the KCB Group scholarship programme. I thank the Bank for extending these scholarships to the Ministry for the
second year running, meaning they have now supported 100 needy and vulnerable children to access secondary schooling in just two years, in addition to that many that are funded under the Group’s annual scholarship programme.
Over the period of the Mop Up Exercise, I personally came face to face with poverty as I visited homes to find candidates who had given up hope of joining Form One. Thanks to the KCB Scholarships handed directly to me, 50 of these brilliant children and now comfortably in their schools of choice. I appeal to the private sector to partner with the Government in providing scholarships to needy and vulnerable children in the country.
Overall, the Government is impressed by the reporting levels for the 2020 KCPE candidates and we promise to sustain the 100 per cent transition policy introduced under the Government of President Uhuru Kenyatta for the 2021 KCPE class as well.
As we approach the end of the first term of the 2021 Academic Year, I wish to thank teachers, parents and guardians for the support they have given to learners, which has allowed them to attend to their studies uninterrupted despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
I wish to state that the Government of Kenya spends 25.8 per cent of its total budget on education, the highest in the African region. This is testimony to the fact that His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Government attaches a big premium to education. I assure the country that the Government will do all that is possible to disburse the capitation funds to schools on a timely basis.
Once again, I urge principals to treat all cases of school fees defaulters with a human face. Households are facing serious challenges during the COVID-19 period and hence the need to invest in tactful management of school debts to avoid sending away learners from schools due to fees arrears. I wish to urge all parents
that are financially stable to clear their fees to enable schools to run optimally.
I most sincerely thank all members of the Multi-Agency Team, especially officials of the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, the Teachers Service Commission and our Ministry of Education field officers, for all their efforts that have enabled us to deliver on the 100 per cent transition policy of Government.
Thank you
Prof George Magoha
CS Education
