Shock as Over 120,000 Learners Fail to Reappear for Junior School Exams
Kenya’s 100% transition policy is under fire again after it emerged that nearly 123,000 learners who sat the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) in 2022 will not be taking part in the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) next month.
The shocking figures raise questions about the effectiveness of the transition strategy introduced under the competency-based curriculum (CBC) to address high dropout rates in the previous 8-4-4 system.
Vanishing Learners
According to Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) data, 1,130,699 have registered for the upcoming KJSEA, a big drop from 1,253,577 who sat KPSEA three years ago. Even higher figure—**1,282,150 learners—was recorded when the same class sat its Grade 3 monitoring assessment in 2019.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba attributed the reduction to “natural attrition”, learners moving to vocational training centres, others joining international curricula, and delayed progression due to pregnancies or sickness.
“The 100% transition policy is not failing. Some learners are pursuing alternative education pathways. Others who had to step out temporarily will rejoin the system,” Ogamba said.
Parents and Teachers Want Answers
But parents and education stakeholders are not convinced. The National Parents Association has demanded an immediate audit to trace the missing learners.
“We want the government to come out clearly and account for these children. Where did they go? Are they at home? Were they married off? Did they drop out? Silence is not acceptable,” association chair Silas Obuhatsa said.
The group has called for a nationwide physical enrolment verification to expose gaps in reporting and ensure accurate data. They also want chiefs and local administrators to play a direct role in tracing school-age children.
The Numbers Don’t Add Up
The problem goes beyond junior school. At secondary level, 217,953 students have failed to complete their education compared to those who sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in 2021.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Deputy Secretary-General Hesbon Otieno said natural attrition alone cannot account for the massive drop.“If we were serious about 100% transition, the numbers would add up. We are losing over 340,000 children across primary and secondary levels,” Otieno said.
He said poverty, lack of facilities, child labour and delayed government funding are driving school dropouts and warned the transition policy will be an “empty promise” unless these are addressed.”
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Shock as Over 120,000 Learners Fail to Reappear for Junior School Exams