Exorbitant Costs and Last-Minute Rush for Form One Admissions
Parents faced a daunting challenge on Sunday as they grappled with the steep costs of essential items and levies while preparing for the admission of Form One students to their respective secondary schools. The spot check on Sunday unveiled a last-minute rush among parents gearing up for today’s Form One admission.
In a departure from the norm, numerous shops and book outlets opened their doors as early as 7.30am, marking an unusual buzz on a Sunday. The shopping frenzy saw parents swarming business premises to acquire stationery, uniforms, bedding, branding, and other personal effects for their children.
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Across South Rift counties, certain school principals allegedly colluded with uniform outlets to circumvent the Ministry of Education’s directive on uniforms.
In Bomet County, outlets reportedly in cahoots with school principals redirected parents to schools for purchases, contravening government directives.
Similarly, in various counties including Kisumu, Nyamira, Kisii, Nyeri, Mombasa, and Uasin Gishu, some principals directed parents to specific outlets for uniform purchases or mandated buying them within the school premises.
Parents lamented the disparities in prices, with some expressing concerns about the potential victimization of their children for non-compliance.
In readiness for Form One admission, the Ministry had explicitly instructed school principals not to direct parents to specific outlets for uniform purchases or sell them within the school premises.
ALSO READ: School Uniforms: JSS and Form One Transitions Pose Challenges for Parents and Schools
Meanwhile, parents in Kericho County, caught in the rush to buy school items, expressed dismay over soaring prices of school uniforms, bedding, and books.
There are growing fears that the escalating cost of education may render some parents unable to afford their children’s schooling, prompting calls for intervention from the Ministry of Education.
Amid the hustle and bustle, certain vendors justified price hikes, attributing them to increased iron sheet prices, operational costs, and challenging economic conditions.
Despite the official opening day on Monday, numerous parents continued their search for secondary school slots, blaming computerized selection for placing their children in distant schools.
The government’s push for a 100 percent transition of KCPE exam takers to secondary schools has heightened concerns among principals about a potential cash crunch in running schools, necessitating a call for increased capitation to address the rising cost of living.
ALSO READ: Form One Placement: Steps for Changing Form One Schools via the Ministry’s NEMIS Website
In Samburu County, MP Jackson Lekumontare stepped in to provide uniforms, mattresses, blankets, bed sheets, buckets, and books to 1,000 Form One students joining secondary schools in Wamba, Samburu East constituency. The MP cited economic challenges faced by parents as the reason for his intervention.
Across the North Rift region, parents, like Magdaline Chemutai in Kapsabet, Nandi County, expressed financial struggles due to the high cost of living, making preparations for Form One admission a challenging task.
The ongoing business peak for school uniform shops in the region adds to the complexity of the situation.
In Kitale, Trans Nzoia, usually a quiet town on Sundays, parents seized the break for last-minute preparations, crowding shops to secure the necessary requirements for their children.
ALSO READ: Three Arrested for Swindling Parents Through Fake Form One Sponsorships
The financial strain was palpable, with some parents expressing difficulties in affording uniforms and other essential items for their children’s admission to secondary school.
Exorbitant Costs and Last-Minute Rush for Form One Admissions