The recently launched Imarisha Elimu programme in Thika Constituency, where day secondary school learners are paying Sh2,500 per term as well as receiving free lunch, has gained momentum, leading to an increase in student retention rates.
During a tour at Jamhuri Secondary School to monitor the progress and impact of the programme yesterday, Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a said most of the schools where the programme is being implemented have recorded increased population this term, since learners are no longer being sent home to collect school fees.
She said retaining learners in school will help in improving performance in national examinations, revealing that her constituency performed dismally in last year’s Kenya School for Secondary Education (KCSE), with hundreds recording E Grade.
This, she attributed to frequent absenteeism due to students being sent home for school fees caused by financial hardships among parents.
“So far, so good. We are witnessing some remarkable progress where most learners are in school. We no longer have students on the streets going home to collect school fees. We hope this student retention programme will boost our academic performance in national exams, which was not encouraging last year,” Ms. Ng’ang’a stated.
Parents welcomed the initiative, hailing it as a game-changer, saying since the launch of the programme last month, their children are always in school.
Led by Kennedy Ngugi, a parent at Jamhuri Secondary School, they said the frequency of sending students home to collect school fees arrears led to quite a number of them dropping out of school altogether.
“Missing classes due to lack of fees and food will now be a thing of the past. Our children are always in school compared to other years when they would be at their homes waiting for parents to pay school fees,” Ngugi said.
His sentiments were echoed by Hellen Kanini, another parent with two children at the school, who lauded the programme as a major relief to struggling families.
“The MP’s support has given us hope. We will do our part to ensure no child is sent home,” Kanini said, emphasising that the feeding programme will also enhance learning outcomes by keeping students focused and energised.
By Muoki Charles
