Gachagua maintains call for merit-based placement in national schools

Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has reiterated that all learners who excel academically must be placed in national schools purely on merit.

The former Deputy President said Kenya must confront challenges arising from the quota placement system, particularly following the implementation of devolution.

Gachagua faulted a system where parents invest heavily in improving community schools only for their children to be placed in far-flung institutions, maintaining that devolution was designed to address historical imbalances, ensuring resources and opportunities are evenly spread across the country.

Speaking during a press briefing in Nyeri County on Friday, Gachagua described it as unfortunate that high-performing learners are locked out of nearby national schools while others with as low as 50 marks secure admission, terming the placement unfair.

He argued that it does not make sense for parents to build laboratories, dormitories and other facilities in local schools, yet their children are denied admission while students with lower marks secure places in national schools.

“All children in Kenya deserve equal treatment. National schools are very critical because they have a very developed infrastructure and they attract the best among children. There must be fairness in the placement of children in national schools,” Gachagua stated.

“I have not insisted that children of a certain area must go to schools where those children are domiciled, no. Where the schools are domiciled, children from that area who qualify must be given an opportunity.”

He added: “There is a child in Thogoto who scored 71 out of 72 marks; Alliance is just a few metres and the child had asked to be placed in Alliance and the cluster was right but the child was denied while students from other regions got an opportunity. These placements must be based on merit and I am saying it is unfair to deny a child an opportunity to go to school of their choice.”

The former DP further took issue with leaders from North Eastern Kenya, accusing them of failing to adequately invest in school infrastructure despite receiving significant development allocations through devolution.

“Let leaders from Northern Kenya not lecture us on affirmative action. Devolution has been in place since 2013 and leaders in those regions have deliberately refused to develop institutions yet they want their children to enjoy the facilities of institutions put by other leaders in other counties,” he said.

“Since 2013, Wajir County has received Ksh.99.6 billion, Marsabit Ksh.76.83 billion, Garissa Ksh.81.7 billion, Mandera Ksh.119 billion and so they have the ability to develop institutions of the highest standards possible in Kenya. I travelled as DP in those areas and I didn’t see any institutions despite the massive funding by taxpayers. Yet in counties which have received less money in Western, Rift Valley, Mt Kenya…when you go round, you see very beautiful institutions.”

He said that despite the billions disbursed to devolved units, little tangible development has been realised in some of the regions.

“We need to have a national conversation about zoning of placement. This was okay then because some areas were marginalised, but now they have received massive funds from the equalisation funds. CDF funds are shared equally among the 290 constituencies, yet when you go to these areas, leaders are making a lot of noise, there is nothing on the ground,” he noted.

“When I was DP, I was shocked that these leaders from Northern Kenya didn’t even live there. Anytime I had a trip to Garissa or Wajir, the leaders from those areas would demand I make some space for them in my aircraft and I would go and come back with them. I never saw any institutions there despite the fact that billions of shillings have been given.”

Gachagua also reflected on the former quota system where school principals, students and parents jointly participated in placement discussions, arguing that such engagement helped ensure fairness and practicality in school selection.

Earlier this week, the former Deputy President had reportedly called on school heads in the Central region to prioritise learners from the area during the ongoing Grade 10 placement, with students expected to report next week.

Leaders led by Molo MP Kuria Kimani came out strongly criticising him over what they termed as tribal and inciteful remarks regarding the ongoing Grade 10 school placement.