The Government has commenced a nationwide assessment of secondary schools for categorisation into the C1, C2, C3 and C4 clusters as part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the management, funding and development of learning institutions across the country.
The Principal Secretary for Basic Education John Ololtuaa announced the exercise during the Annual General Meeting of Kolanya Boys High School in Teso North Sub-County on Thursday, where he also presided over the commissioning of a new 67-seater school bus.
Ololtuaa said the assessment will enable the Ministry of Education to classify secondary schools according to the prescribed criteria, ensuring institutions are placed in the appropriate categories based on their capacity, infrastructure, performance and other established indicators.
He noted that the exercise forms part of broader government efforts to improve planning, resource allocation and quality education across the country.
The announcement followed an appeal by local leaders, parents, teachers and students for Kolanya Boys High School to be elevated from its current C2 status to the C1 category, citing improved academic performance, increased student enrolment and expanded learning infrastructure.
The Principal Secretary assured schools that the government remains committed to supporting learning institutions through timely policy interventions and adequate resource allocation.
He reaffirmed the Ministry of Education’s commitment to ensuring prompt disbursement of capitation funds to schools to facilitate uninterrupted learning and smooth management of institutions.
Ololtuaa said the government would continue investing in infrastructure development, learning resources and other programmes aimed at improving the quality of education and learning outcomes.
He further reiterated the ministry’s commitment to achieving a 100 per cent transition and retention rate, urging parents and guardians to ensure all school-going children are enrolled in school and complete their education.
The Principal Secretary commended schools that have invested in infrastructure improvement, discipline, cleanliness and effective management, saying such efforts had created conducive environments for teaching and learning.
Addressing students, Ololtuaa challenged them to remain focused on their academic goals by avoiding distractions such as indiscipline, drug abuse, disrespect towards parents and teachers and abandoning their ambitions.
“After understanding your journey, remember that for the journey to succeed you must work for it and protect it,” he told the students.
Kolanya Boys High School currently has an enrolment of more than 1,718 students and a teaching staff of 60, comprising 44 teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and 16 employed by the Board of Management (BoM).
The school posted a mean score of 7.53 (B-) in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination, compared to 8.01 (B) in 2024 and 6.541 (C+) in 2023.
The institution also recorded impressive university transition rates, with 320 out of 369 candidates qualifying for university admission in the 2025 KCSE examination, compared to 324 out of 347 candidates in 2024 and 123 out of 270 candidates in 2023.
Teso North Member of Parliament Oku Kaunya commended parents for supporting the acquisition of the new 67-seater school bus, noting that they contributed more than Sh22 million towards its purchase.
“I am really happy with the parents of this school. In the past, many parents were reluctant to participate in school development projects, but that has changed,” he said.
Principal Administrative Secretary (PAS) in the Office of the President Arthur Osiya said leaders from Teso North would continue supporting schools to maintain high academic standards and improve learning infrastructure.
He said collaborative efforts among the government, school management, parents and the community were critical to sustaining academic excellence and expanding educational opportunities for learners.
By Moses Wekesa
