By Tebby Otieno
The government`s 100 % transition policy has gotten a boost in Dagoretti Sub County, following the launch of a new secondary school within the area. Three days after the Riruta Satelite Day Secondary school was launched by Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang, 31 students have been enrolled.
Speaking to Mtaani radio reporter in her office, Riruta Satelite Primary school and principal Riruta Satelite Day Secondary school, said the school has two classrooms that have been set aside for the form one students, since the new secondary school is a subsidiary of Riruta Satelite Primary school.
Agness Murugi Muchiri said some of the students had missed their chances in the previous secondary schools, where they had been selected to join because their parents/guardians could not afford school fees.
`There was a lot of desperation because parents could not afford to take their children and therefore there had to be a mobilization by the area chief and other administrators to fetch them out of their dens of wharever they had stayed desperately not knowing what to do. So far from Monday we have received 31 and we are expecting more. Our aim is to get 60. That will be one class. ` Mrs. Muchiri told Mtaani radio reporter.
The launch of Riruta Satelite Day Secondary school, has bridged the gap between Dagoretti North`s Dagoretti Mixed Day school and Dagoretti South`s Beth Mugo Mixed Day school. This therefore, means day scholars within Dagoretti Sub-County can slightly commute at ease. Even on its first week, parents/guardians within Dagoretti already feel its impact.
`He is an orphan, father and mother died and he came here in Nairobi after sitting class eight examinations but I did not have money to take him to school. God has opened a way, a school has been found here in Satellite. We have been given a form with a rubber stamp and told to bring him here at school, so now I am taking him to join. I appreciate` a parent told Mtaani radio.
`This is bringing development; people will not be struggling to look for far secondary. Once they complete class eight they will join secondary in the same school` Another parent added.
Other residents in Dagoretti however, feel that all public primary schools should have subsidiary secondary schools. They say the government should also get a public primary school within one of the Dagoretti South`s Ngando ward.
`Wow, I hope the same will be done in Ngando ward which has no public primary and secondary school apart from Lenana School. Riruta ward has several public schools including, Ndurarua, Kinyanjui Road and Satellite primary schools. Riruta ward now has a secondary school. I also hope all public primary schools can have a corresponding public secondary school` Read part of Anthony Muchuma Kutiri`s WhatsApp comment after he learnt of the school.
100 % Transition
2019 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, KCPE examination candidates started joining form one in respective secondary schools on January 13, 2020. The government`s efforts to have all the 1,088,986 is still on. The effort has been made successful through collaboration between most school heads and parents.
An example is the newly found Riruta Satelite Day Secondary school, as the school`s principal Agness Murugi Muchiri says
`Our uniform is Navy blue skirts, white blouses and navy blue sweaters and yea they look very smart. Actually, the most important thing is to have them in class. We are not pushing them, we are not sending them away, we are not even asking for anything. We are providing lunch at least for a few days as they settle down. The government has promised to pay all their fees` Mrs. Muchiri told Mtaani radio
Speaking in Kisumu County on February 5, 2020 Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha said, 99% of 2019 KCPE candidates had joined various secondary schools. He however, said there were still some 10, 000 candidates who were not yet in schools especially in Narok, Kajiado, Embu, Nyandarua and Tana River counties. He asked anyone who identifies a child who should be in school but is not to contact a government person.
`Otherwise we are at 99% which is thoroughly commendable for this effort. I have a team involving the whole of Provincial Administration, Teacher’s Service Commission, both field and headquarter officers are in the field and the important thing is, you have seen that even at 99 % today I still found another ten students here in Kisumu. My request is that everybody from where they are operating must continue to identify where the children are. Said education CS.
