CS George Magoha: Form 1 selection was done based on student first choice

Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha has
faulted candidates and parents crying foul of the 2019 form 1 selection
exercise, saying it was done as required by the Ministry of Education
guidelines.

Speaking during the 15th annual Kenya Primary Schools Head
Teachers Association (KEPSHA) conference in Mombasa on Tuesday, the CS said the
whole exercise was done fairly and that there were no anomalies reported.

“Some of the children crying foul in the just concluded
students’ Form One placement were actually placed on their first choices. If
you put Mangu at number three for instance, what the hell do you think you are
doing? If you want to go there, put it as number one,” said CS Magoha.

He challenged students to be keen and straight forward when
making choices, urging parents and teachers to offer them pieces of advice when
it comes to school selection exercise.

“If you are not so sure of yourself then we shall give you
the school you have selected. You can go and crosscheck with our data. It is
available.”

Reports of top students in the 2019 KCPE exams missing out
on their school of choice have gone viral following Monday announcement of the candidates’
form 1 selection to different schools.

According to the CS the ministry placed 30,000 candidates in
schools they had not chosen, due to lack of schools in counties where the
candidates sat the examination.

Role of parents

According to the local dailies, one top candidate in the
KCPE 2019 who was disappointed by the selection is Roy Koome, who scored 433
marks, best performer in Meru County.

The selection places Koome to a different school of his
choice, based in Western Kenya (Friends School Kamusinga) compared to his first
choice, Mang’u High School.

Professor Magoha also attributed the blame to parents and
guardians, saying they have sired and left the burden to teachers.

“The role of parenting has reduced by 80 per cent. With all
due respect, our parents have become as animals. You produce children and then
wait and don’t train them. They can’t flush toilets, they can’t clean their
backs because there is someone doing it for them, then you later throw them to
teachers,” he posed amid laughter.

He challenged them (parents) to start teaching their
children from home before sending them to school.

“Allow them to clean the toilet, to clean the house, to
collect the litter. Let us not burden the teachers with everything.”