Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended his remarks on the placement of Grade 10 learners in senior schools, describing the current process as discriminatory and unfair to both the high-performing learners and their parents.
Gachagua has blamed the current crisis on the centralisation of the placement of senior schools at Jogoo House saying the current system had replaced a more transparent model where school principals played a role in the placement of learners in secondary schools.
“The placement of our children has been centralized at Jogoo House which is rooted in corruption because the bureaucrats sitting in Jogoo House have no capacity to place kids. That is why we have a crisis, where kids have been placed in a day school 300 kilometres from their home. How do you expect these children to go about with their lives?” Posed the former DP.
Gachagua said that the senior school placement exercise has also exposed the inequalities facing the education sector despite the heavy investment through devolution and the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
While crediting former presidents Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta for laying a strong education foundation through the Free Primary Education and Free Day Secondary School education policies and large-scale infrastructural development in the institutions, he warned that these gains are being watered down through the inequitable placement of learners in secondary schools.
“Without doubt the education sector has grown steadily even as our population and development priorities grow as a nation. However, some unfortunate truths and discussions must be held now for introspection, prosperity and for national audit,” said Gachagua.
The former DP said that since raising the concerns last week, he had received overwhelming feedback from parents all over the country, most of whom, like him, questioned the criteria being used to place learners in senior schools.
He said that unlike his critics who had been quick to label his remarks as tribal, he was only agitating for equity in the placement of learners in their school of choice and through a merit-based system.
“We are demanding that all children of Kenya be admitted to the best schools on merit and I am not saying that children from this area or any other area who are not qualified or have not met the minimum points should be admitted to these great institutions. I am saying that all children of Kenya should be given an opportunity on merit,” he said.
Gachagua cited instances where learners from areas hosting Cluster 1 schools (National Schools) were denied admission despite meeting the cut-off marks.
“There is a child from Thogoto area who scored 71 out of 72 marks. Alliance High is just a few metres from Thogoto. That child had asked to be placed in Alliance High School and the cluster was right. That child was denied an opportunity yet children from other areas with as low as 50 marks have been admitted to that institution. That is what we are saying is unfair and uncalled for,” he said.
And while responding to Northern Kenya leaders who have accused him of advancing regional political interests by sparking tribalism in learning institutions, Gachagua defended his decision to speak out, saying that he is only acting as a responsible national leader.
Further, the former DP said that a time had come for the country to challenge the continued reliance on affirmative action even in school placement formula.
Gachagua, who accused the leaders of failing to prioritise development, argued that devolution and the Equalisation Fund, as well as the equitable share of revenue to counties, were meant to correct historical marginalisation adding that after more than 10 years of devolution, a time had come for the country to re-examine the special treatment accorded to these counties.
He claimed that during his tenure as the second in command, he rarely saw any educational institutions in Northern Kenya despite heavy funding from the taxpayer.
“Leaders from those regions have deliberately refused to develop institutions, yet they want their children to enjoy the facilities of institutions that have been put up in other counties by other leaders. Since 2013, Wajir County has received Sh99.6 billion, Marsabit Sh76.82 billion, Garissa Sh81.7 billion, and Mandera County has received Sh119 billion. They have the opportunity to develop institutions of the highest standards possible in Kenya, not just for the children of those areas but for the children of Kenya,” he noted.
Gachagua spoke at the Outspan Hotel in Nyeri on Friday afternoon. His remarks come two days ahead of the official reporting date for Grade 10 learners to their respective senior schools.
By Wangari Mwangi
