Three schools in Nakuru left empty by dismal Form One numbers
Form One students accompanied by their parents wait for clearance at St Clare Girls Secondary School in Elburgon, Nakuru County when they reported for admission on January 16, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Kimathi Secondary School revealed that the school had only been allocated five pupils through Nemis.
- Nakuru Central Secondary School is also facing low enrolment after being allocated 56 learners by Nemis.
Three schools in Nakuru East Sub-county are in a predicament after being allocated a meagre number of students in the ongoing Form Ones admission exercise.
The three schools have been left struggling with low enrolment.
The well-equipped Form One classrooms at Kivumbini, Kimathi and Nakuru Central Secondary schools echo with emptiness.
Placement is done electronically, and students and parents are required to download admission letters from the National Education Management Information System (Nemis), which they take to their primary schools for stamping before reporting to their secondary schools.
A spot check at Kimathi Secondary School revealed that the school had only been allocated five pupils through Nemis. Of the five, two are from Mombasa County while the others have yet to report to school.
As of Tuesday, only four students, whose parents sought admission directly from the school, had been admitted.
Over the past two years, the school has experienced a decline in Nemis allocations, with the institution being allocated 13 students in 2022, 70 students in 2021 and 80 students in 2020.
A teacher who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity said last year the school was allocated 13 students but managed to admit 70 students from the neighbouring community.
"We can accommodate up to 200 students in Form One, but it is sad that we only got five students [this year]. We are requesting parents to bring their children who have not gotten a chance [elsewhere]," the teacher said.
In this educational conundrum, Kivumbini Secondary School remains in a state of suspense with empty classrooms as not a single Form One student has registered since admissions began.
Nemis has placed 10 Form One students in the school.
“We have not received any Form One students in our institution since the admission kicked off. Our classes remain empty in the hope that they will start streaming in maybe within the week, otherwise we will be forced to continue with the rest without the new ones,” said a teacher during a visit by Nation.Africa.
Last year, the school received seven students, some from Molo Sub-county in Nakuru, and others from Busia and Samburu counties. But this year's allocation seems inadequate.
Similarly, Nakuru Central Secondary School is facing low enrolment despite being allocated 56 learners by Nemis.
The day school has four streams that can accommodate over 200 learners, but less than 20 Form One students have registered so far.
The challenge arises from the system placing students from other sub-counties in a day school located in Nakuru Town East.
Last year, the school was allocated 276 Form One students, but could only accommodate 150.
This week, Form One students reported to schools as some parents flocked to institutions to seek transfers for their children in some schools.
The pressure on some principals was so great that some reportedly switched off their phones.
