The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has raised the alarm over what it describes as a deepening Grade 10 transition crisis in Bungoma County, with a significant number of learners yet to report to their assigned secondary schools due to flaws in the Ministry of Education’s placement system.
Addressing the press on Wednesday, Bungoma County KUPPET Executive Secretary Augustine Luketelo said the new placement mechanism has created widespread confusion among parents and learners, particularly in rural areas, leaving many students stranded at home weeks after schools reopened.
Luketelo noted that several learners have been posted to schools far from their home counties, a move he said has made reporting difficult and unsustainable for families from modest backgrounds.
“The system used by the Ministry of Education to place learners is unfair and insensitive to the realities on the ground. How do you take a learner from a local school in Bungoma and post them to a day school in Lodwar or Trans Nzoia? How is such a child expected to cope?” Luketelo posed.
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He called on the ministry to urgently review the placement framework to allow learners who wish to remain within their counties to access nearby schools, warning that the current approach disproportionately affects children from vulnerable households.
According to Luketelo, limited internet access and low digital literacy among parents have compounded the crisis, locking many families out of the online school selection and transfer system.
“Most of these learners come from rural families where internet connectivity is poor. Parents do not know how to log in to the system or change the schools their children have been posted to,” he said.
The unionist further urged the Ministry of Education to reconsider elements of the former 8-4-4 placement system, which he said was more structured, predictable and easier for parents, teachers and learners to understand.
“The new placement structure has disorganised learners and parents, and that explains why many students have not reported to school,” he added.
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Luketelo also dismissed assurances by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba that most Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) candidates have successfully transitioned to Grade 10, saying the situation on the ground tells a different story.
“Some learners have failed to join national and extra-county schools where they were placed. The ministry must ensure bursaries are released on time, while elected leaders should actively identify affected learners and facilitate support,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Grade 10 transition crisis has emerged as a key campaign issue as KUPPET prepares for its Bungoma County elections scheduled for Saturday. Aspirants have intensified last-minute campaigns, with delegates expected to weigh candidates’ positions on education reforms and learner welfare.
Luketelo announced that the union will conduct elections for various county positions on Saturday at Masinde Muliro Stadium in Bungoma.
By Godfrey Wamalwa
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