By Enock Okong’o
As Form One students stream into different schools in the country, Nyambaria National School is fearful that they might lack enough classrooms to accommodate excess learners.
Speaking to Education News at the school yesterday, Chief Principal Charles Onyari said that he had already received more than 500 students in the first day of opening.
“If they continue coming this way, the number is likely to overwhelm our resources,” he said.
Onyari said that most students reported without the required learning materials and inadequate school fees but he accepted them anyway because he understood the current hard economic times.
“We are human beings who can talk with parents and agree on the best way of providing our new learners with a homely atmosphere of learning,” he said.
At Sironga National Girls school, parents thronged for the whole day competing for admission of their daughters.
“Others came to seek admission for their daughters but they were told to go back unless their daughter had been selected to join the school,” said a school guard.
At St. Pauls Gekano Boys High school, Deputy Principal Mr. Evans Mogere said that they had admitted 600 Form One students by Monday.
“All those who were sent to us by the Ministry reported punctually but parents insisted for more admissions,” he said.
Asked to comment on the reason behind the influx, Mr. Mogere attributed it to the good 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations results in which all 142 candidates qualified to join University.
In Kisii County, Cardinal Otunga High school Mosocho received the largest turn out of Form One students ever.
According to new Chief Principal Albert Ombiro, day one saw 600 students turning up.
“We expect to have 1,000 Form One students this year but it seems that our facilities will overstretch,” he said.
Asked to comment on the early strategies his office has put in place to tame the exploding population, he said he hoped for the best.
“We are still new here but not new to our job so we hope for the best,” he said.
Mr. Ombiro took over from Mr. Chrispus Owiono who transferred to St. Peters Mumias in Western Province.
