Friday, December 30, 2011

Ongeri orders probe into weak academies



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Education Minister Sam Ongeri displays a bathroom sandal with answers to KCPE questions written on it that was worn into an exam room by a cheating candidate.
PHOTO/STEPHEN MUDIARI/NATION Education Minister Sam Ongeri displays a bathroom sandal with answers to KCPE questions written on it that was worn into an exam room by a cheating candidate. The minister released the results on December 28, 2011 at the KNEC Headquarters in Nairobi. 
By NATION TEAM newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Thursday, December 29  2011 at  22:00
IN SUMMARY
  • Lamu girls turn the tables on boys by occupying two of the county’s top positions
Private schools that performed poorly this year will be investigated and possibly closed down, Education minister Sam Ongeri has said.
The minister asked officials in his ministry to investigate private schools that performed poorly in exams and close them if they do not meet education standards and improve their scores.
“Some private schools are fleecing parents by offering substandard education,” said the minister an interview.
Coincidentally, all the poor performing private schools are from the minister’s back yard of Kisii.
Kenya National Union of Teachers Gucha branch executive secretary Sammy Nyairo supported the minister’s remarks and asked the district education board to close down academies which are not adding any value to the country’s education system.
Mr Nyairo said that some of the academies do not have basic facilities to enable pupils compete at the same level with other private schools in the country.
“We are dismayed that the worst performing private schools are in Kisii,” said Mr Nyairo.
In Nyamira, parents expressed concern over the poor performance of schools in the region. Two of the area’s primary schools- Nyakemincha and St Peters Academy- were listed among the 10 worst KCPE performers.
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Nyakemincha Primary, a public school in West Mugirango constituency in Nyamira South District had a mean score of 119 out of 500 marks.
The top candidate in the county, Mr Makimara Abunga, scored 434 marks.
Riamogunde Academy from Sameta district in Kisii county was the last five in the private schools category in the just.
Parents and candidates kept off the school after word went round that its among the worst performing school in the private category.
In Lamu , girls beat boys in the top positions, making it the only county in Coast where girls beat boys.
Ms Twaiba Ghalid Ahmed who garnered 406 marks led the pack of girls followed by Ms Khaulah M Abdulkadir with 386 marks.
The highest ranked boy was Mr Martin Gitahi Wanjohi who was third with 385 marks.
Lamu girls win
Lamu which has been trailing the other five counties since the inception of KCPE turned the tables on academic powerhouses such as Taita Taveta County.
The county jumped from number 47 to 44 with a mean score of 223.36.
“Our 2,000-plus candidates did us proud ,” said one of the parents.
No girl made it in the list of the top 10 candidates in each county in Taita Taveta. Mombasa had four girls, Kwale and Kilifi two and Tana River had one girl.
Kaloleni Knut branch secretary Kittu Gwengwele called on the government to increase the number of teachers. This would reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in the coastal region.
“When the minister comes to visit the five counties that performed dismally, he should come with teachers to handle the influx of pupils due to the free primary education programme,” he said.

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