Guys remember also that in Private schools, there are disparities. YOu cannot compare Light Academy and say a private school in Arthi River. Star shiek for example has alot of poor kids and it had more that 25 kids with above 400. Do you deny these children yet they worked hard to get these grades. Remember also there are public schools in urban centres that are advantaged than many in the rural areas. Can you compare Nairobi Primary with Budalangi primary where a class holds 40 children. Where do you draw the line.

Very right on the Headmaster being a beneficiary in this system and also of the fact that most people have been ignoring in light of this arguement. That not all who go to private schools are rich. There are many private schools in the slums catering for some real poor people.

Good People,

I still do not see why all the hulabaloo! IMHO, kids go to school to get an education. As a parent, depending on what you understand by "education', you make a choice.Unfortunatley, we have equated education to passing KCPE and KCSE. We forget that the kids more life skills on interaction. We even sent kids to private schools that have no playing fields or order. I was shocked to see an advert outside a residential massionette in Nairobi West saying it has class 1 to 8!! How can a 4 bedroomed house have class 1-8, a hall, aplaying field, officesetc? The only reason any parent would take his/her Kid there is because they cannot afford public school or there is no space in public schools. Why would you want to penalise such a kid?

Please allow me to share my take humbly.

I too went to Public Schools. However, Public Schools then eqaute to a very small fraction of private schools today as far as quality is concerned. I did most of my learning as I played in the field with friends. I therefore CHOOSE to give my kids an education like the one I had cause it has worked. I choose to teach my kids lifeskills everytime I can. I take them along to some business meetings. I explain to them anything they want to know in the simplest way possible. One thing I know for sure is, when the time comes,they will be ready to take over from me and my generation coz they will have SEEN ME do it. All I need them to get from school is the basics of arithmetic and science. This they can get anywhere, private or public school. But I want them to see order and effecient management as they learn. Believe it or not, that is waht I pay for . I am preparing them to take over leadership in this country, how to run their lives and their companies well.

I am not preparing them for EMPLOYMENT. Which is the root cause why theis debate is hot! If I do so, I will perpetuate them into untold frustration once they pass all the tests and realise that they are where I began!

Article 56 of the Constitution of Kenya:

56. The State shall put in place affirmative action programmes designed to ensure that minorities and marginalised groups—
(a) participate and are represented in governance and other spheres of life;
(b) are provided special opportunities in educational and economic fields;
(c) are provided special opportunities for access to employment;
(d) develop their cultural values, languages and practices; and
(e) have reasonable access to water, health services and infrastructure.

I confess I am confused

After listening to PS Ole Kiyiapi yesterday, I understood the govt.Private schools account for 14% of the total candidates in KCPE.Thus, they should have a similar proportion intake in the national schools e.g if total slots in national schools are 10000, 8600 should be reserved for public while 1400 be for private

Makes sense

But I'm afraid we'll end up with two societies: private school societies and public school societies.I attended a national school and I appreciate the 'melting pot' effect of those schools.

Ministers and PSs sons were there as were the sons of their watchmen and gardeners.We had guys who had never boarded a matatu while we had others who had no pocket money.

At the end of it all,we all appreciated the learning experience and interaction we enjoyed there!

Now if we segregate the poor into their schools and the rich into theirs where will such interaction take place?