President William Ruto has sharply criticised former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over remarks concerning the ongoing national school placement exercise, accusing him of politicising education along ethnic lines.
The dispute emerged after Gachagua, now leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), claimed that students from the Mount Kenya region were unfairly disadvantaged during the Grade 10 placement process under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). He alleged that high-performing learners from the region were being placed in lower-tier schools, while national schools were admitting students from other areas.
Speaking at a public event, President Ruto dismissed the claims, warning leaders against introducing tribal narratives into education matters. He stated that school placement must remain merit-based, fair and nationally inclusive, adding that Kenyan children should not be divided for political gain. “The system must serve every child equally, without political interference,” he stated.
The controversy comes at a critical time as the country implements its first CBC senior school placements, a process overseen by the Ministry of Education. Officials have maintained that the system is automated and guided by performance, school choice and available capacity.
As debate intensifies, education stakeholders are urging political leaders to allow professionals to manage the process and safeguard national unity.
By Amos Murumba
