Form One Placement: Heartbreak For Overage Learners As Govt Bars Them From Joining High School

• Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced the placement of 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education candidates to secondary schools
• Machogu said the overage students would not secure slots in public secondary schools and hence would not join Form One next year
• He said the learners have been forwarded to the Directorate of Adult and Continuing Education for placement

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has announced that 2023 overage Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCPE) candidates will not be allowed to further their studies in public secondary schools.

While officiating the Form One placement event at Lenana School on Monday, December 18, Machogu said the students will be placed in adult institutions.

"However, all over-age learners have been forwarded to the Directorate of Adult and Continuing Education for placement in adult and continuing education institutions," he said.

The placement of the students began immediately after the release of the KCPE examination results.

How the students were placed

Speaking at the event, Machogu reiterated that all 1.4 million students will transition to secondary schools, as there is no room for a repeat of Class Eight.

He said several learners were fairly placed in schools of their choice, while those who missed out on preferred schools were placed in institutions with equivalent values to their choices in different counties.

"Some students were placed in schools of equivalent standing outside their counties. This includes those from counties with inadequate capacity," Machogu noted.

The CS disclosed that 42,927 students would be joining national schools, 274,746 extra-counties, 288,201 counties, and 792,230 sub-counties; another 2,225 would get a place in special needs institutions.

However, Machogu noted with regret that 28,052 candidates failed to select schools despite high scores, with the majority from Wanjohi, Nyandarua, and Kopsiro in Bungoma.

Most preferred schools

The ministry also noted that several KCPE candidates showed interest in furthering their studies at Kabianga High School, Nanyuki High School, Pangani Girls, Kapsabet Boys, Alliance Girls, Maseno School, Nakuru High, Butere Girls, Mang'u High, and Alliance High School.

The learners are expected to formally join their secondary schools on January 15, 2024.

How to get placement form

Machogu directed parents to visit the Form One placement portal or the Kemis website, appealing to them to download the placement forms directly and not through middlemen.

Alternatively, the students can send an email to placement@education.go.ke.

"I assure Kenyans that this website has been tested and proven and is 100% accurate. It is in operation," he added.