Parents have praised the Kisumu Boys High School administration for what they described as a smooth, fast, and well-organised Grade 10 admission process, amid growing concerns over the high cost of school requirements during tough economic times.
Speaking on Monday during the ongoing admission exercise, parents commended the school principal, Mr Austin Muma, for making early preparations ahead of the senior school intake, saying the process was efficient and welcoming.
“I brought a Grade 10 student, and the admission process has been good and fast. I was number 106, but by 11.00 a.m. I was already through. The administration is accommodative, teachers are many and ready to serve, and the school was fully prepared for admission,” said one parent.
Despite the smooth process, parents expressed concern over the rising cost of school requirements, noting that many families are coming from a difficult year marked by economic hardship. They said that although the government had indicated that fees had been reduced, the overall financial burden on parents remains heavy.
Addressing the media at the school grounds, Mr Muma said Kisumu Boys High School is fully prepared to receive senior school learners, citing adequate infrastructure, learning materials, and manpower.
“So far, we have received over 200 learners, but we expect a total of more than 700 senior school students. We are still admitting until Friday. However, some parents have requested more time, even into next week. We are waiting for a directive from the Ministry of Education, which we hope will be communicated publicly,” said Mr Muma.
His remarks were echoed by the deputy principal, Mr David Amayo, who said the school has prepared to a large extent to accommodate the new cohort, with dormitories and classrooms already upgraded.
“We are prepared to a greater percentage to receive the new students. The dormitories and classrooms are ready. We have also improved our infrastructure to support learning, creativity, and the skills required under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system,” said Amayo.
Meanwhile, at Kisumu Girls High School, Chief Principal Ms Doreen Juma said the institution is ready to admit over 600 senior school learners, following extensive retooling of teachers under the new CBE curriculum.
Ms Juma revealed that more than 250 students had already been registered, noting that the admission process has been smooth, with only isolated cases of students who had initially selected the school being redirected elsewhere.
“The Teachers Service Commission has been retooling senior school teachers. The first cohort was trained in August last year, where 25 of our teachers were retooled, followed by another 20 teachers in December, all in readiness for senior school students,” she said.
Schools across Kisumu County continue to receive learners as parents and administrators await further guidance from the Ministry of Education on possible admission extensions.
