Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha has said national government administrators and the police will mop up all children yet to report to secondary school.
Speaking when he led a multi-sectoral door to door campaign in Kiandutu slums in Thika, Magoha warned that children who wouldn’t have reported to Form One by Friday 3rd September, their parents will get arrested for denying them the right to education.
According to Magoha, 75 per cent of all the 10,000 public secondary schools in the country are day schools and they are free since the government pays for all the school fees except for uniforms and food.
“Why must students stay home? If we find out that you are keeping a child who has finished primary school at home by Friday, you will be arrested,” said Magoha.
He said there was no reason for children who completed primary education this year to continue staying at home when the government pays capitation to secondary day schools.
“We have already paid first term capitation for all our students and see no reason for any student to stay home,” he said.
The government’s target is to achieve 100 per cent transition by Friday.
Magoha also warned school heads against sending learners from day secondary schools home due to lack of lunch money or school uniform.
He said this will help the country achieve the 100 per cent transition rate from primary to secondary schools, which is currently at 96 per cent nationally.
According to the CS, the challenge has been in Garissa, Kilifi and Kwale counties, where he said the government has been keen to ensure they don’t lag behind.
Nyanza and Central region lead with an average of 97 per cent, Eastern region is at 86 per cent, Nairobi at 74 per cent while the coast is at 83 per cent.
On the planned strike by lecturers at public universities, the CS said the government was focusing on other pressing issues facing its citizens, warning lecturers against downing their tools.