Thousands of parents across the country are appealing to the Ministry of Education to review the placement of their children in Senior Secondary School, citing concerns over distance, safety and alignment with preferred career pathways.
The appeal comes as the second placement review window, which opened on Tuesday, recorded a massive turnout of parents seeking alternative schools ahead of the scheduled reporting date. Many parents expressed frustration, saying the institutions their children were placed in are either too far from home or raise security concerns.
However, the desperate search for vacancies has hit a major hurdle, with several popular schools turning parents away. Some institutions have declined direct engagement, insisting there are no available slots. At Pangani Girls High School in Nairobi, a notice was posted turning away parents seeking placement for their children due to lack of vacancies.
Similar scenes were reported at Kenya High School and State House Girls High School, where parents flocked in large numbers hoping to secure places for their learners. While some parents were drawn by the prestige associated with the schools, others said they were simply looking for safer and more convenient options.
Education stakeholders have, however, urged parents to accept the placements issued by the Ministry of Education. Kenya Comprehensive Schools Heads Association (KECSHA) National Chairman Fuad Ali said the placement process was fair and transparent, noting that learners were placed based on choices submitted by parents during the selection phase.
He added that reviews can only be conducted where vacancies exist, warning that continued delays could disrupt the start of learning. Other stakeholders echoed the call, urging parents to finalise placements and allow learners to report to their respective schools as scheduled.
Meanwhile, school heads have welcomed the timely disbursement of capitation funds by the government, saying the move has enabled a smooth resumption of learning in senior secondary schools.
