The transition to secondary schools for last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education(KCPE) in Loitoktok Sub County now stands at 80.7%.
Loitoktok Sub County Director of Education, Peter Bitah while speaking to KNA in his office pointed out that a total of 798 pupils including 383 boys and 415 girls have not yet joined any learning facility and they have not repeated their respective primary schools, hence they cannot be accounted for.
The director cited post Covid-19 effects and drought prevailing in the area as the main key challenges hindering 100% transition exercise in the sub county.
Bitah further pointed out that not only drought prevalence has affected transition, but also daily learning activities citing movement of parents with their livestock in search of pastures is affecting learning in schools.
He said that 4,121 learners have joined different secondary schools in Loitokitok sub County, adding that other 30 learners couldn’t join secondary schools but opted to enroll to different vocational institutions in different regions within the country.
The director affirmed that some other 65 learners had to repeat class 8 due to poor performance in their KCPE.
“Some learners didn’t perform well and therefore seeking advice from parents and teachers they decided to repeat aiming to achieve better marks to enable them enroll in schools of their choice,” noted Bitah
The Sub County Education boss stressed that mop up exercise in collaboration with the chiefs and other stakeholders has kicked off to ensure the 20% is enrolled in secondary schools.
The exercise that kicked off last week involving officials from Ministry of Education has seen 14 learners enrolled at Entarara secondary school.
Bitah also revealed that his department is working closely with UNICEF in an initiative dubbed, “Out of School Children Drive,” under its clarion, “Come Twende Shule, Leave No Child Behind to bring back to schools all children in the bracket of school going age including drop outs.
He said so far, 600 children have been rescued and taken back to schools.
