Student Who Scored 374 Marks in KCPE Return to Grade 6 After Failing to Join Form 1

Jerry Orido, the top candidate from St. Mercy Primary in the Kokuro area of Awendo, Migori County, who performed the best on the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams, has decided to enroll in Grade 6 rather than continue on to high school.

Orido, who received an amazing score of 374, stated that he is unable to attend Kanga High School, which is where his academic prowess should have naturally taken him, due to financial limitations.

When the committed student learned that his parents couldn’t pay for his secondary school tuition, he made the devastating decision.

Despite triumphing over his peers in the national exams, Orido finds himself unable to continue his education due to economic challenges. His classmates are progressing to high school, while he retraces his steps back to primary school.

Orido remains hopeful that a Good Samaritan will come to his aid and sponsor his secondary school education.

Form Ones started reporting to secondary schools across the country from Monday and the admission process will take place till Friday.

According to the Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, 70 per cent of Form Ones across the country have reported to their institutions.

The CS gave assurance that the ministry will make every effort to ensure the more than 1.4 million learners who sat the 2023 KCPE exam join the schools they were placed in.

“The Ministry is so far impressed by the ongoing exercise with more than 70 per cent of all those placed in secondary school having already reported,” he said.

Machogu spoke on Wednesday when he presided over the award of 1,000 scholarships by the KCB Foundation to learners set to join secondary schools.

The CS said the ministry will work with the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to comb all homes to realise the 100 per cent transition into secondary schools.

Further, Machogu noted that the Ministry of Education through the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF) and Equity Group Foundation has awarded 9,000 Elimu Scholarships to learners joining Form One.

Beneficiaries of the scholarships were drawn from all 47 Counties. They were awarded to needy and vulnerable learners who attained 280 marks and above in the 2023 KCPE Examination.

“For affirmative action, candidates with special needs and disabilities who attained below 280 marks were eligible,” Machogu said.

The CS said learners from Vulnerable and Marginalised Groups with 250 marks and above were also eligible.

“I wish to encourage other partners in education to step in and provide scholarships to our needy learners to ensure we achieve the 100 per cent transition policy and leave no one child behind in our education system,” he said.

The last Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in 2023 saw the highest number of candidates in history sit the examination as it will never be administered again.

1,233,852 candidates sat the national exam in 2022. The number rose to 1,406,557 in 2023.