A number of secondary schools in Nyandarua North sub-county, Ndaragwa constituency, have continued to record low enrollment of pupils, raising concern among education stakeholders.

A spot check established that many community schools are fighting for the small catchment area so as to cash in on free secondary school capitation by the National Government.

At Dedan Kimathi Mixed Secondary School, for instance, only six students were enrolled in Form One this year. School principal Beth Kairu told a sub-county CBC Implementation Committee that toured the institution that the school relied on a nearby primary school for new students.

“This area also suffers from rural-urban migration, with the residents left here being elderly. “Our school relies on the neighbouring Mung’etho Primary School as its catchment area for students,” she said, adding that the entire secondary school has just 81 students.

She appealed for help to put up boarding facilities to attract more students.

At St Mary’s Aberdare Secondary School, formerly Kiriogo Secondary, there are only 147 students, down from last year’s 200.

School principal Jason Mwangi attributed this to high poverty levels and apathy to education. He said most parents had declined to pay Sh12,000 a year  for the students’ lunch.

“Some students drop out of school to do illegal logging in the neighbouring (Aberdare) forest, others join boda boda business, while girls end up in early marriages,” he disclosed.

He added  that the neighbouring Mathenya and Ngobit secondary schools had attracted many students due to their accessibility.

He noted that the school’s 10-acre piece of land was available for putting up boarding facilities. “We know it is an uphill task to put up dormitories and a dining hall, but it is the only way to stay afloat,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Aberdare Secondary School, which is about 20km off the Nyahururu-Nyeri Road, has just 114 students in its four streams, against a capacity of 600. The majority of learners are girls.

Nyandarua North sub-county director of education Justus Musyoka said more capitation and development would only be assured against a high enrollment.

The deputy County Commissioner, Walter Ngaira, urged principals to do all they can to ensure pupils continue being in school Including utilizing the vast land for agricultural activities to afford the students lunch.

Ngaira said that the CBC policy to have parents take the learners to the nearest junior high school centre, will in turn improve the enrollment in the schools, urging them to increase their numbers for higher capitation from the government.