15/01/2026
Only 300,000 grade 10 learners out of 1.3 million have reported to school across the country, according to a report by Daily Nation.
Parents are facing multifaceted challenges in admitting their children to school namely:
1. Lack of school fees due to economic hardships.
2. The long list of requirements is holding back students as some schools insist on purchasing items only from specified shops.
3. Those looking for alternative schools for their children are being asked to clear one year fees before their kids can be admitted.
4. Fare is quite high for learners admitted to schools in far-flung areas.
All the hard won gains towards 100% transition are slipping away before our eyes. What future are we constructing if we undermine the very foundation of basic education? A nation that stumbles at this first rung cannot hope to climb higher. You do not leap to Singapore by dismantling the classroom.
JOHN KAMAU Foundation.
