Grade 10 Selection: Education Ministry Introduces Day Wings in All Boarding Schools.

Grade 10 Selection: Education Ministry Introduces Day Wings in All Boarding Schools

Starting January next year, all boarding secondary schools in the country will be required to accept day students.

This initiative is part of new guidelines from the Ministry of Education aimed at accommodating the first group of Grade 10 learners under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.

According to the new directive, at least 10% of the students in each boarding school must be day scholars. This move is designed to alleviate overcrowding in boarding facilities, broaden access to education, and ensure a complete transition to senior secondary school.

The program, called “Day Wings in Boarding Schools,” aims to separate student admissions from the limitations of bed capacity, which has been a persistent issue in overcrowded boarding schools.

The Ministry, in collaboration with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), believes this change will optimize resource usage and challenge the notion that boarding students perform better than day scholars.

The guidelines specify that students will be admitted based on merit, their ability to commute, and adherence to school regulations. They must choose the day wing option during the school placement process.

Parents or guardians of day scholars will be responsible for meal costs while their children are at school and will need to actively monitor their discipline and attendance.

Schools will need to manage the daily entry and exit of day students, which raises concerns regarding safety, infrastructure, and administrative challenges.

Both day and boarding students will wear the same uniforms and be fully integrated into the school community, helping to eliminate any stigma or social division.

Once a student is accepted as a day scholar, they will maintain that status throughout their time at the school unless formally reassessed.

The proposal has elicited mixed reactions, with school leaders expressing concerns about potential security issues that could arise from its implementation.

Willie Kuria, from the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA), highlighted worries about safety and logistics in the implementation process.

He emphasized that school leaders need legal clarity on the responsibilities of parents versus the accountability of schools for day students.

“We support the goal of increasing access, but there must be a clear policy on managing day scholars in a boarding environment. Schools need guidance on how to handle day wings and prevent security incidents or illegal activities, such as bringing in contraband. Without this, it could lead to chaos,” Kuria stated.

Conversely, Moses Nthurima, Deputy Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), endorsed the proposal, arguing it would aid in student development.

Nthurima mentioned that this initiative would enhance parental involvement, which is crucial in the Competency-Based Curriculum system.

“By introducing day wings, we are not only alleviating pressure on dormitories but also ensuring that no student is left behind in the transition to Senior Secondary,” Nthurima told the media.

However, he urged the Ministry to create a clear framework to ensure the safety of students both inside and outside the school.

“There needs to be a definitive guideline on liability once a student leaves the school premises. If anything occurs, school leaders will be held responsible,” he remarked.

This proposal resembles a previous initiative in 2020 by the Ministry of Education to establish day wings in top national schools to address congestion caused by the 100% transition policy.

The directive mandated 19 national schools, including Nairobi School, St George’s, Lenana, Kenya High School, Moi Forces Academy, Starehe Boys’ Centre, Pangani Girls High School, and Moi Girls Secondary School–Nairobi, to open day wings.

Other schools included Ngara Girls Secondary School, Buruburu Girls High School, Embakasi Girls, Arya Parklands, Nembu Girls, Dagoretti High School, Lang’ata Secondary, Upper Hill, St Georges Girls, Hospital Hill, and Ofafa Jericho.

This initiative aimed to increase capacity and address concerns about limited bed space in boarding schools, particularly as part of the free day secondary education program.

However, despite the government’s directive, some institutions, such as Starehe Boys’ Centre, resisted admitting day scholars.

According to the then Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, the rollout was to occur in phases, starting with Nairobi and later expanding to other counties.

The targeted schools received a significant number of applications from students wishing to enroll as day scholars.

However, the plan was disrupted by the nine-month closure of schools following the Covid-19 outbreak.