Many Form Ones yet to report as learners take mid-term break
By Irene.Githinji, May 24, 2022Learners are taking a half-term break this weekend, just about a month after schools reopened for the 2022 academic year.
Students are breaking even before all new Form Ones report to a school, with the Ministry of Education saying the mop-up campaign will continue during the break.
Education Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Sara Ruto yesterday said the government is determined that every child gets secondary education.
“The 100 per cent policy is being done within broad reforms including financial. We have this policy as part of ensuring education to all young people,” said Ruto.
She made the remarks in Nairobi when she presided over the issuance of Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF) scholarships to 144 students.
The 2022 academic year is one of the shortest, a situation brought about by the long closure of schools following the outbreak of Covid-19 in March 2020.
“We must assure transition for the young people. This remains a commitment that we must not only make but also an expectation by the Constitution,” she added.
Ruto explained that the 100 per cent transition follows various steps, with the first move being to give an opportunity for new students to report within a period of about two to three weeks.
“We will continue with the mop-up because there are still those who have not reported,” Ruto said.
According to the revised 2022 calendar, the half term break is expected to run from May 26 to 29.
First-term will run until July 1, when schools close for one week, after which the second term will commence. Parents will also be expected to dig deeper into their pockets to raise fees and other requirements for the rushed programme. Most schools expect fee balances to be settled when classes resume next week.
And in just about a month’s time, parents will be expected to raise fees for the second term.
There are four school terms this year.
Speaking at the scholarship event, Ruto said secondary education is expensive because of boarding charges, not tuition fees.
“The task force report that was launched last year noted that boarding schools are contributing to the very high cost of secondary education. The government disburses Sh22,500 per child in secondary school and day secondary is free,” she said.
She said education stakeholders should seek solutions to factors that are stopping more children from accessing secondary education.