CS Ogamba warns principals who block Grade 10 admission, says they’ll lose jobs

The Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has cautioned school principals against being stumbling blocks to the full Grade 10 transition, warning that that those who do so risk losing their jobs and disciplinary action.

Speaking in Kisii on Sunday, January 25, the CS said that school heads should ensure that Grade 10 learners are settled in their classes, whether or not they have school fees, by Friday, January 30.

“Any teacher who will decline to admit a student just because the student does not have school fees or a uniform should also be ready to go home,” Ogamba said.

This comes after President William Ruto while speaking in Meru on Thursday, January 22, instructed that children whose parents have financial challenges should be permitted to join senior schools wearing their junior secondary school (JSS) uniforms.

“I am informed that many students have not reported to schools due to a lack of school fees and uniforms. I hereby direct parents and every chief to ensure that each child reports to school regardless of these requirements,” Ruto said.

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Additionally, the president’s directive was reinforced by his deputy, Kithure Kindiki, who spoke in a separate function in Kericho on Sunday, saying that school heads should ensure a full Grade 10 transition and that the government will lay out the necessary strategies to ensure that learners get uniforms and have their school fees cleared.

“Those who don’t have a uniform and school fees should go to school, and also those who don’t have a uniform and school fees should also go to school. We shall now discuss other things once the students are in school,” Kindiki said.

However school heads have continued to raise concerns over the difficulty in admitting learners to schools due to challenges such as fees.

So far, according to the education boss, 92 per cent of learners have already reported to their respective schools, and the government will ensure that the remaining 8 per cent will report by the end of the week.

Earlier information on the admission had indicated that the transition rate was as low as 75 per cent, which prompted the government to intensify mop-up efforts across the country to track and enrol the remaining learners.

The Ministry of Interior, in a statement, said that government officials conducted a door-to-door inspection to trace learners who have not yet joined their Junior Secondary School (JSS) or Senior Secondary Schools.

According to the ministry, they will channel scholarships and bursaries through county governments to support vulnerable learners and reduce cases of financial exclusion.

“The government actors and parents are strengthening bursary mobilisation, counselling and re-entry support, community engagement through local leadership structures, and faster placement guidance,” the ministry stated.

By Juma Ndigo