Grade 10 Placement: Education Ministry Unveils ‘Day Wings’ for Boarding Schools

Grade 10 Placement: Education Ministry Unveils ‘Day Wings’ for Boarding Schools

Starting January of next year, boarding secondary schools nationwide will welcome day students, marking a significant shift in educational policy.

This initiative, introduced by the Ministry of Education, aims to accommodate the inaugural group of Grade 10 learners under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework. According to the new guidelines, each boarding school will be required to enroll at least 10 percent of its students as day scholars. This move is designed to alleviate overcrowding in boarding facilities, broaden access to education, and ensure a seamless transition for all students to senior secondary education.

Dubbed “Day Wings in Boarding Schools,” this concept seeks to separate student admissions from the limitations of bed capacity, a persistent challenge faced by many boarding institutions. The Ministry, in collaboration with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), believes this change will optimize resource utilization and challenge the notion that boarding students consistently outperform their day scholar counterparts.

Under the new regulations, students will be admitted based on merit, their ability to commute, and adherence to school policies. During the placement process, families must choose the day wing option for their children.

Parents or guardians of day scholars will be responsible for meal costs while their children are at school and will play a crucial role in overseeing discipline and attendance. Schools will need to manage the daily logistics of day students, raising concerns about safety, infrastructure, and administrative challenges.

Both day and boarding students will don identical uniforms and will be integrated into the school community, fostering a sense of unity and eliminating any stigma associated with their different statuses.

Once a student is designated as a day scholar, they will maintain that classification throughout their time at the school unless they undergo a formal re-evaluation.

The proposal has sparked a variety of responses, with school leaders expressing concerns about potential security vulnerabilities that could arise from its implementation. Willie Kuria, representing the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA), voiced apprehensions regarding safety and logistical issues.

Kuria emphasized the need for legal clarity on the responsibilities of parents versus those of the school concerning day students. “While we support the goal of increasing access, it’s essential to have a clear policy on managing day scholars within a boarding context. Schools need guidance on how to handle day wings to prevent security breaches and issues like the smuggling of contraband. Without such clarity, we risk chaos,” Kuria stated.

Conversely, Moses Nthurima, Deputy Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), endorsed the initiative, highlighting its potential to foster student development. Nthurima remarked that the introduction of day wings would enhance parental involvement, which is vital in the Competency-Based Curriculum system.

“By implementing day wings, we’re not just alleviating pressure on dormitories; we’re also ensuring that every learner transitions smoothly to Senior Secondary,” Nthurima explained to the media.

However, he urged the Ministry to establish a comprehensive safety framework for students both inside and outside the school premises. “There needs to be a clear outline of liability once a student steps outside the school gates. If an incident occurs, school leaders will bear the blame,” he cautioned.

This proposal echoes a previous initiative from 2020, where the Ministry of Education sought to introduce day wings in prominent national schools to combat congestion caused by the 100 percent transition policy. Nineteen national schools, including Nairobi School, St. George’s, Lenana, and Kenya High School, were mandated to open day wings as part of this effort.

The initiative aimed to increase capacity and address the pressing issue of limited boarding space, especially within the framework of the free day secondary education program. However, some institutions, like Starehe Boys’ Centre, resisted the directive, stating they would not accept day scholars.

Former Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i indicated that the rollout would occur in phases, beginning in Nairobi and eventually extending to other counties. The targeted schools received an overwhelming number of applications from students eager to join as day scholars, but the plan faced setbacks due to the nine-month school closure following the Covid-19 pandemic.