Schools were yesterday making last-minute rush to submit their Junior Secondary School (JSS) choices as the September 10 deadline fast approaches.

A number of schools in Nairobi have given Grade Six learners and their parents up to this afternoon to present their choices.

Schools will then input the choices to the Kenya National Examination Council portal (Knec), as required.

“We have been given up to today to submit our choices of JSS so that the school can put the date into the Knec portal as required,” a parent who sought anonymity said.

A spot check in a number of schools in Nairobi and Kiambu showed that the process was going on smoothly  and the institutions are optimistic of completing the work by Saturday.

Each learner is expected to choose 12 schools, comprising two national, two regional, two County, four sub-county and two private JSS.

This came as Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha said the selection process is progressing well and ruled out further extension.

The CS also commended private schools as they race against time to complete laboratories.

“I am not seeing any hiccups. I said we are going up to September 10. If there is need for us to extend we will  communicate but for now we do not feel there is need,” Magoha said yesterday when he inspected Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) classrooms in Nairobi.

 As the exercise comes to the tail end, the CS reiterated that there must be a conversation between learners, parents and teachers to make the right choices.

Magoha said his takeaway with CBC is that the system is going back to the family, as learners are engaging parents once more.

He also emphasised that CBC is not a money guzzler as has been perceived, even as he advised the next Government to ensure it gets value for money, which is not an easy process.

“Government officers have a culture of doing things in a particular manner. If they get an officer who will ensure zero tolerance to corruption in the ministry, that will be the best thing because it will mean they embark on another set of classrooms in the next year,” he said.

He also noted that President-Elect William Ruto’s promise to employ more teachers in two years will go along way in boosting CBC.

Magoha has urged parents to select JSS they can comfortably afford, saying children in private schools must pay for services offered in those institutions.

He made it clear that the Government can only cater for Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE).

Needy students

Last week, the CS dismissed calls for Government to give private schools capitation, saying it is entirely up to parents to pay.

“Those in private schools must pay. There has been a little noise about capitation to private schools but that is not going to happen. The Constitution allows us to provide FDSE,” the CS said.

 “If you choose a boarding school, you must know that there will be requirements to pay for boarding and feeding. That is why the Government got only needy students from the slums and gave them Elimu scholarship, which is supposed to go for four years,” he noted.

Current situation

“ We have said that any child who selects a private school must first confirm with their parents. That is why we have roped them,” Magoha added.

He also maintained that it is entirely up to a parent to make choices, saying the ministry has only issued guidelines for JSS selection but the decision stands with learners and their parents.

“Even in the current situation, some parents do not follow guidelines. You find them selecting top schools like Kenya High several times and do not select anything else,” he said.

Magoha reiterated that for JSS, a majority of the learners are expected to be in day schools near their homes.

“CBC will be a great success of the outgoing government. You have seen the passion we have had and hope the incoming Government will continue with the classroom drive in the next one year then there will be no problems,” Magoha said.