According to a section of parents, the government’s directive to domicile Grade 7 learners in their former primary schools could hurt learners who had been prepared psychologically that they would transition to the next level in different schools.
Some parents from Kisii County pleaded to the Ministry of Education to reverse the decision claiming that they were having a difficult time convincing their children to go back to their former primary schools for Grade 7.
According to them, most of their children who sat for the Kenya Primary School Assessment examinations (KPSEA) cited the stigma they will face from their juniors.
The parents from Kerera Primary School called on the Cabinet Secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu to direct all Grade Six and Seven Pupils to be accommodated in the nearby Secondary schools to ease the psychological tension.
“My child expected to join a junior secondary school in a different school. He did not envisage having to go back to his primary school,” said one of the parents.
The parents blamed the government for its inconsistency regarding the transition of learners to Junior Secondary School which put parents in a state of limbo.
The parents pointed to former Cabinet Secretary for Education Prof George Magoha’s declaration that 100 percent of classrooms for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) had been completed.
Some of the parents from Kenyenya Sub-County asked the government to host Grade 6 and 7 pupils in private schools which have enough learning facilities.
They suggested borrowing of the idea of universities whereby private universities hosted some students and eased congestion in the public universities.
Nyanza Region Parents Association Chairperson Mr. Paul Mainga called on parents to give the government an easy time to implement the New Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).