The government has been challenged to pay national examination fee for candidates in private schools.
Speaking on Friday during prize giving ceremony at Elimu Academy in Kisii County, the school’s director, Mrs Hellen Kombo, claimed the government discriminates candidates in private schools by only considering candidates in public schools.
“There is no private child in the country. All children belong to the Kenya and the government has a prerogative of treating them in equally. The government should extend its sponsorship programme in paying national examination fee for candidates from public schools to private schools,” she appealed.
Her sentiments were supported by Magenche MCA Timothy Ogugu who also challenged Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i to consider candidates in private schools in KCPE and KCSE examination fee waiver.
Mrs Kombo lauded the Education cabinet secretary for being fair and considerate in Form One selection.
The CS announced on January 21, 2015, that the new selection criteria would provide equal opportunity among students from both public and private schools whereby the minimum mark for one to join a national School is 350 marks.
Initially, pupils from public schools would join national schools with a minimum of 350 marks while those from private schools were non-bargainably admitted to National schools with 385 marks and above in the KCPE.
She challenged Equity Bank, through its Wings to Fly program to also sponsor for needy students from private schools.
David Kombo, the school founder, noted he sponsors 38 children from poor family background.
Dr Ogoti Ongarora, the Elimu Academy Chancellor, perhaps the only basic education provider school in entire Kenya to have a chancellor, challenged the Government to support and equip public schools if it’s serious in its war against illiteracy.
Dr. Ongarora appealed to parents and guardians to invest in education of their children noting it is the only weapon against poverty sentiments that were supported by Kisii School principal Casper Maina.
Kisii Central Sub-county director of education Charles Nyaribo Osoti asked the Kisii county government to allocate bursary funds to private schools in support of children who hail from poor backgrounds.