Magoha’s transition drive laudable
Education CS George Magoha hands an admission letter for Thika High School for the Blind to Mang’era Christopher during the launch of Form One selection at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development in Nairobi on April 11, 2022.
What you need to know:
- The World Bank development report identifies the transition to secondary school as one of five important life stage transitions for young people.
- The endeavour to ensure all students transit to secondary school can at best be described as building a strong, well-engineered bridge for students to cross.
The 100 per cent transition policy for pupils joining secondary schools has been widely celebrated as one of the Jubilee administration’s greatest achievements. The World Bank development report identifies the transition to secondary school as one of five important life stage transitions for young people.
Similarly, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 Target 1 seeks to ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education. Millions of children all over the world are out of school due to lack of fees due to low income levels, peer pressure, lack of support from parents and guardians, child marriage, gender-based violence, conflict, geographical location, trafficking etc.
The endeavour to ensure all students transit to secondary school can at best be described as building a strong, well-engineered bridge for students to cross. In the past, the Ministry of Education relied on communication and information sharing between primary, secondary schools and education officials who had significant knowledge and understanding of the students who did not report to school. This was critical and it had to be supported.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has escalated this to a door-to-door campaign to trace pupils who sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) last year but have yet to take up their Form One slots this year. He is leading from the front. He should be trusted and respected for how he is seriously concerned about the 100 per cent transition.
Dr Kapkiai is a lecturer in the School of Education and Human Resource Development at Kisii University. [email protected]
