Government officers will this week begin door-to-door inspections across the country as part of a national effort to trace learners who have not yet reported to Junior Secondary School (JSS) or Senior Secondary School under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
In a statement released on Sunday, January 18, the Ministry of Interior explained that the exercise is aimed at ensuring no learner is left behind during the ongoing school transition period.
The ministry said the inspections will help identify children who are still at home, understand the challenges they are facing, and put in place immediate solutions to ensure they join school before the official reporting deadlines.
According to the ministry, the door-to-door exercise will allow government officers to directly engage parents and guardians, especially in vulnerable households, and encourage them to re-enroll their children.
The government believes this approach will help address hidden cases of school dropouts that may not be captured through official records.
To further support affected learners, the government announced that scholarships and bursaries will be channeled through county governments, the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), and National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs).
This financial support is meant to assist children from poor backgrounds and reduce cases where learners fail to join school due to lack of fees or basic school requirements.
In addition, the Ministry of Interior said it will use barazas, religious gatherings, and other local community forums to mobilise parents and guardians. These platforms will be used to raise awareness on the importance of education and to remind families of their responsibility to ensure children report to school on time.
While noting that progress in school transition has been encouraging, the ministry admitted that several challenges are still affecting full enrollment, especially at the senior secondary level.
These challenges include financial difficulties, isolated cases of early pregnancies, learner absenteeism or reluctance to join school, and delays in placement caused by parents seeking alternative schools for their children.
The ministry said both government agencies and parents are now working together to address these issues.
Measures being strengthened include increased bursary mobilisation, counselling and re-entry support for affected learners, community engagement through local leaders, and faster guidance on school placement to avoid unnecessary delays.
Current data from the ministry shows that 61 per cent of eligible learners have already joined Senior Secondary School, with enrollment still ongoing in line with the CBC progression framework.
Meanwhile, the Grade 10 admission process, which was initially scheduled for Friday, January 16, was postponed to Wednesday, January 21. The Ministry of Education said the extension was meant to give more learners time to report and help achieve a 100 per cent transition rate.
The ministry also revealed that 97 per cent of learners who completed Grade 6 have successfully transitioned to Junior Secondary School, a figure it described as a strong indicator of progress under the new education system.
Reaffirming the government’s position, the ministry stressed that full transition is a national priority. It stated that every child has a constitutional and human right to education, and called on all stakeholders to work together to prevent avoidable dropouts caused by poverty, delayed placements, or social challenges.
Earlier, during a press briefing on Thursday, January 15, Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok assured parents and learners that schools across the country have enough capacity to absorb the large number of students expected to join Grade 10. He said approximately 1.1 million learners are set to make the transition.
“Overall, the transition process is going on very smoothly. Our officers are on the ground supporting learners and parents to ensure the process is seamless,” Bitok said.
The government now hopes that the door-to-door inspections, combined with financial support and community involvement, will ensure that every eligible learner reports to school and continues with their education without interruption.
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