Parents and guardians in Thika West sub-county have been discouraged against the habit of denying their children the opportunity to join the schools in which they are admitted after class 8 in the name of high school fees.
Speaking in Kenyatta Primary School in Makongeni on Thursday during an assessment exercise of the school, Thika West sub-county Quality Assurance and Standards Officer Anthony Gikonyo said that many bright students in the area have been ending in 'poor' schools because their parents or guardians fail to take them to the schools they were admitted under the pretext of high schools fees.
"We have noted that so many bright students who complete class 8 in this sub-county end up being forced by parents or their guardians to join alternative schools which do not perform very well as compared to their dream schools because their parents claim they cannot afford the school fees there. This is demoralising on the side of the learner who had worked so hard to join a better school only to end up in a local school," said Gikonyo.
Gikonyo said that in this era of bursaries and in the wake of many individuals and corporates coming out to give sponsorships, no student should be denied the chance to join their dream schools.
"Let us build a culture of encouraging our kids by showing them we care and value what they do in school. Many people in our society today are willing to sponsor bright but poor students throughout their studies. This, however, cannot happen if the parent or the guardian doesn't come out to ask for assistance," Gikonyo said.