According to the Ministry of Education, more than 12,000 pupils who registered for the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam did not show up for the test.
When the Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha released the results that he said were “thoroughly commendable”, there was no firm word on the disappearance of these young people who are entitled to basic education.
In the past, the government has made use of provincial administration officials like chiefs to fish out any truants from their homes to school. It has paid off but the revelation that this big number missed the exam challenges the government to step up the search for such children, their parents and guardians to ensure they don’t lose such lucrative opportunities.
Topping any government’s agenda is security. And, when a child who is supposed to be in school and take exams fails to show up, it poses a security question to both the KCPE candidate and the government.
Where will such children be when their agemates and neighbours move to Form One or youth polytechnics? Over to you, Prof Magoha.
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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
