Protests erupt at Raganga Secondary school over poor KCSE results

The parents and local residents locked the principal’s office, accusing the school administration of failing their children after results showed that the best-performing candidate scored a D plain, with the majority of learners posting D minus and E grades. The outcome triggered outrage among parents, many of whom said they had invested heavily in their children’s education with little to show for it.

The incident came as thousands of parents and learners across the country thronged secondary schools as the admission of Grade 10 students officially began. The learners form the first cohort transitioning to senior secondary school under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.

Across the country, parents accompanied their children to schools as registration and orientation exercises got underway, marking a major milestone in the rollout of the new education structure.

Some parents said they arrived at schools early to ensure a smooth admission process, while school administrators reported an unexpectedly high turnout, prompting requests for additional support to manage the exercise.

Learners welcomed the new system, saying it offers greater flexibility by allowing them to choose pathways aligned to their career aspirations, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) or arts and sports-based tracks.

However, the transition has not been without challenges.

A section of parents raised concerns over placement anomalies, including learners being posted to schools far from their homes or receiving admission letters to institutions that did not align with their preferences.

Parents’ representatives questioned the practicality of some placements, citing cases where learners were assigned to distant counties or schools that did not match their gender, despite the financial strain already borne by families.

School heads acknowledged the challenges but said mechanisms were in place to resolve emerging issues. Some principals reported cases of learners receiving multiple admission letters, while others said they had sought approval from the Ministry of Education to increase their intake after receiving applications beyond their approved capacity.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba, while overseeing the registration exercise at Mumbi Senior Secondary School in Murang’a County, assured parents that the placement and transfer process remains open. He said the ministry was addressing technical challenges on the placement portal and emphasized that no learner would be left behind.

The ministry has also extended the second review period for placements until Friday to allow parents and learners to raise concerns and seek adjustments. A total of 1.13 million learners are expected to transition to senior secondary schools under the CBE system nationwide.