No child left out: Ruto directs all Grade 10 students to report to school

President William Ruto, Meru Governor Mutuma M'Ethingia, Embu's Cecily Mbarire and others at the disbursement of NYOTA at Kinoru stadium.  [Phares Mutembei, standard]

President William Ruto has directed all Grade 10 students to report to school, regardless of whether they have paid school fees or obtained uniforms.

Speaking in Tharaka Nithi, Meru County, on Thursday, January 22, Ruto instructed chiefs to ensure that all learners report to school, including in their Junior Secondary School (JSS) uniforms.

Ruto said the government has made significant investments in education and urged stakeholders to accommodate students across institutions.

“I am directing that no child should remain at home because they do not have school fees. Every child must go to school because we have spent billions to educate our children. In any case, there is sufficient money for teachers and for our children to be taught in the first term,” said Ruto.

“So every child in Kenya must go to school tomorrow because we have provided the money to teach all our children,” he added.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, echoed the directive during the launch of a book distribution exercise at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), instructing school heads to admit students who lack Grade 10 uniforms.

“Following the President’s announcement, and with the support of the Ministry of Education, principals in all schools are directed to admit students who have been unable to report to Grade 10 due to a lack of uniforms, using their JSS uniforms as we work to ensure Grade 10 uniforms are provided,” Ogamba said.

Earlier this week, thousands of Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) learners from vulnerable households were stranded at home due to a lack of school fees or Grade 10 uniforms.

More than a week after senior secondary school admission officially began, many Grade 10 learners remained uncertain about their schooling, prompting the Ministry of Education to extend the admission window after data showed that fewer than half of the 1.1 million learners had reported.

But according to CS Ogamba, at least 90 per cent of the 1.1 million learners have managed to report.