The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Gucha Branch has called on the Ministry of Education (MoE)to immediately activate the Grade 10 placement portal to streamline admissions into senior secondary schools. Branch chairman Ayubu Okemwa said delays are fuelling confusion and anxiety among students and parents, and urged Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to expedite the process to avert disorder at school gates.
Okemwa noted that parents are crowding secondary schools seeking transfers or readmissions for learners placed in institutions they did not choose, while principals are reluctant to proceed without a functional portal due to the risk of double or multiple admissions. He said the system is essential to validate entries and correct errors for the pioneer cohort transitioning under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to senior secondary.
“Activating the portal will help principals make quick placements for these troubled students by clarifying and correcting errors in the new admissions,” he said, adding that a clear, centralised process would ease pressure on families already burdened by repeated visits to schools in search of vacancies.
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The KESSHA Gucha chair also lauded the early release of capitation funds this term, saying the ministry had honoured its promise to school heads. He urged the CS to maintain consistency in subsequent terms to build confidence among teachers and support timely planning. Early disbursements, he said, allow institutions to organise learning activities and address pressing administrative needs without financial strain.
Okemwa further appealed for an increase in capitation to reflect rising costs. He proposed raising secondary school capitation from Sh22,244 to Sh30,000 per learner, and primary school capitation from Sh1,819 to Sh2,500, arguing that the adjustments would help schools operate effectively amid inflation and expanded CBC requirements.
He asked parents, chiefs, and assistant chiefs to support enrolment drives and ensure children remain in school, warning against neglect that pushes learners into street life and exposes them to drug and substance abuse. Strengthening community mobilisation, he said, is vital to safeguarding education outcomes as the senior secondary transition gathers pace.
By Enock Okong’o
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