Candidates who sat for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination last year and scored below 250 marks have been asked to enrol for vocational training.
While launching the Form One Selection exercise at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development in Nairobi on Thursday, Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang’i said that at least 195,000 candidates who sat for the 2015 will not be admitted to secondary school.
Matiang’i said that the numbers represent 18 per cent of the total 927, 401 pupils who sat for the examination in November last year.
The Education CS said that students who will miss out form one selection will join tertiary and vocational institutions.
The CS said that the government is working hard to ensure that the students are enrolled in tertiary institutions.
“The government is keen to ensure that students who failed to score 250 marks and who are likely to miss out on secondary school will be given alternative opportunities to advance their knowledge,” said Matiang’i.
The CS asked parents of such students to allow them to take vocational training.
At the same time, Matiang’i revealed that 7,000 students who scored 400 marks in the 2015 KCPE will be enrolled in national schools of their choice.
At least 927, 401 pupils sat for the exam in November whose results were released on December 30, 2015.
Kiambu was rated among the best performing counties in the examination, and was also among the few counties that did not register any case of examination irregularity according to the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC).
Meanwhile, Matiang’i has warned school heads against mismanaging government education funds.
The CS said that stern action will be taken against school heads who fail to account for monies allocated to them.