Uncertainty in Administration of 2023 National Exams: KPSEA, KCPE & KCSE
The current administration of this year’s national exams faces uncertainty due to the outstanding debt of Sh29 billion owed by public schools.
Recent reports reveal that the government owes secondary schools Sh14 billion, which should have been disbursed during the previous term. Additionally, the government has not yet released Sh15 billion for this term, despite the national exams being just weeks away.
Omboko Milemba, the national chairman of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), pointed out that, based on these figures, each student is currently owed approximately Sh10,469. He emphasized that by the end of the second term, students should have received around Sh4,908, with an additional Sh5,561 per student due this term.
Teachers, especially those handling practical subjects, are concerned about procuring examination materials due to outstanding debts spanning two financial years with suppliers. This situation jeopardizes exam preparations.
With only six weeks left until the October 27th school closure and the start of national exams, school administrators are sounding alarms. They are considering early school closures, which could negatively affect the quality of education and academic outcomes for students.
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The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) reports that approximately 3.5 million students are expected to take national exams next month, with around 1.4 million for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and 903,260 for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Milemba expressed that most headteachers agree on the severity of the crisis, including advocating for early school closures, which could impact the quality of education and exam results.
In some schools, a “zero-fee balance policy” has been imposed on applicants, and supplier obligations are increasing as payments remain overdue. Some schools are resorting to loans or using their own funds to stay operational.
Principals are under significant pressure, affecting their well-being, and statutory deductions for non-teaching staff and other school employees have not been sent, even when funds are available. The situation is worse for day schools relying solely on capitation.
Milemba has raised these concerns with Education CS Ezekiel Machogu, and parliamentary inquiries have been initiated to seek explanations regarding the delay in funding.
As teachers and parents await responses from Machogu and the Treasury, primary schools are struggling with a funding gap. The chairman of the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KPSHA) disclosed that they have received only fifty percent of the owed funds for primary schools.
This issue is compounded by the inadequacies of the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) in recording accurate enrollment data for all students.
Uncertainty in Administration of 2023 National Exams: KPSEA, KCPE & KCSE
