Ensure merit-based placement in national schools, Gachagua reiterate

Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizen’s Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has reiterated that all students who perform well academically must be placed in national schools based on merit.

The former Deputy President emphasised that Kenyans must confront the ongoing issues with the quota system, especially since the introduction of devolution.

He pointed out that the main purpose of devolution was to highlight and address the plight of marginalized counties, ensuring equitable development and opportunities.

Gachagua has criticised the practice where parents invest in community schools, only to see their children admitted to distant schools.

The former Deputy President said Kenya must confront challenges arising from the quota placement system, particularly following the implementation of devolution.

Gachagua faulted a system where parents invest heavily in improving community schools only for their children to be placed in far-flung institutions, maintaining that devolution was designed to address historical imbalances, ensuring resources and opportunities are evenly spread across the country.

Speaking during a press briefing in Nyeri County yesterday, Gachagua described it as unfortunate that high-performing learners are locked out of nearby national schools while others with as low as 50 marks secure admission, terming the placement unfair.

“I have not insisted that children of a certain area must go to schools where those children are domiciled, no. Where the schools are domiciled, children from that area who qualify must be given an opportunity.”

He argued that it does not make sense for parents to build laboratories, dormitories and other facilities in local schools, yet their children are denied admission while students with lower marks secure places in national schools.

“All children in Kenya deserve equal treatment. National schools are very critical because they have a very developed infrastructure and they attract the best among children. There must be fairness in the placement of children in national schools,” Gachagua stated.

Speaking during a press conference in Nyeri County, Gachagua also addressed concerns over the placement system.

He has described it as unfortunate that exemplary students are unable to access nearby national schools and are instead sent to distant institutions.

Meanwhile, students with as low as 50 marks are admitted into national schools, which he sees as unfair.

The DCP leader has further criticised leaders from North Eastern Kenya for their continued lecturing of other leaders, instead of utilizing the development funds allocated through devolution to improve their own schools and infrastructure.

He has noted that despite receiving billions of shillings from the national government, tangible progress in development has yet to be observed in those regions.

Gachagua also reflected on the old quota system, where school principals would sit down with students and their parents to select suitable schools based on the students’ locations and needs.

He believes that this system provided a better understanding of school placement logistics and should be reconsidered to promote fairness.

President William Ruto has condemned rising political rhetoric surrounding the placement of Grade 10 students in national secondary schools, warning that attempts to balkanise education will not be tolerated.

In a quick rejoinder yesterday, President William Rutoinsisted that national schools are a shared national resource and must remain accessible to learners from all parts of the country based strictly on merit.

Speaking during the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) fund disbursement in Nakuru, where 9,800 youths received Sh25,000 seed capital, the President highlighted the government plan to reduce unemployment.

“We will not allow any politician, however desperate they may be, however bankrupt they may be, to erect new boundaries for our children. We want our children to learn in every institution that is available to them in Kenya. Especially, our national schools must have access to all the children of Kenya equally,” said Ruto.