Central Region commissioner urges parents to enroll their Grade 10 students to senior schools, seek assistance

The Central Regional Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha has urged parents and guardians who have not enrolled their children in senior school to do so immediately or seek assistance from local administrators.

He stressed that basic education is a constitutional right, directing chiefs and assistant chiefs to account for every school-age child within their areas of jurisdiction.

Nkanatha said the region’s 84 per cent transition rate to Grade 10 reflects notable progress in keeping learners in school, but remains below the government’s 100 per cent transition target under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

Speaking during a county security meeting and a routine inspection of the ongoing crackdown on illicit brew at Kiamichiri Police Station in Mwea, Nkanatha issued a stern warning to parents, criminals, and law enforcement officers as the government intensifies efforts to safeguard the future of children across the region.

The commissioner said as at the close of Wednesday, Kirinyaga County had registered an 88 percent transition rate, placing it among the top-performing counties in the region. Kiambu County was leading with an impressive 98 percent, while Nyeri County stands at 82 percent. Nyandarua County recorded the lowest turnout so far at approximately 80 percent.

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“No child should be at home when the government has provided learning opportunities. Parents who deliberately deny their children education will be required to explain themselves to the authorities,” Nkanatha said.

He urged parents to take advantage of the many available day secondary schools, noting that lack of access or affordability can no longer be used as a justification for keeping children out of school.

At the same time, Nkanatha issued a tough warning to individuals involved in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of illicit brew, declaring that the government will no longer tolerate activities that endanger lives and destroy families.

He said the crackdown on illicit alcohol has been intensified following tragic incidents recorded in 2024, in which several families lost loved ones after consuming poisonous brews.

According to the Regional Commissioner, residents across the region have strongly condemned the menace after witnessing its devastating social, health, and economic consequences.

This public outcry, he noted, has prompted renewed commitment from security agencies to dismantle illegal networks behind the trade.

Nkanatha also warned security officers against colluding with brewers, traffickers, or drug dealers, saying any such misconduct will be met with decisive disciplinary and legal action.

By Obegi Malack