National Assembly Reinstates Ksh5.1 Billion for National Exams
The National Assembly has approved the request from Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang to reinstate Ksh5.1 billion for administering national exams.
Kipsang had indicated that without these funds, the administration and supervision of national exams would be jeopardized, creating uncertainty around the exam dates for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
The Departmental Committee on Education submitted a proposal to restore the funds that had been cut by the Treasury.
A statement from the National Assembly mentioned that the committee proposed reinstating Ksh5.1 billion to ensure smooth administration of this year’s national exams.
If the committee had not accepted Kipsang’s proposals, over 3 million students would have faced changes in exam dates. These students include:
- 1,264,842 Grade 3 learners
- 1,313,913 KPSEA learners
- 965,501 KCSE students
Importance of the Reinstated Funds
Kipsang noted that the funds are essential for supervision, invigilation, and covering examiners’ costs. He emphasized that reinstating the funds aligns with the Government’s policy on free and compulsory basic education.
According to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), the KCSE exams are set to begin on Monday, November 11, with English (Functional Skills) papers and conclude on Friday, November 22, with the Physics (Practical) paper.
KPSEA exams are scheduled to start on October 25 and end on October 30.
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In addition to reinstating exam funds, the National Assembly committed to allocating a budget for transitioning 46,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms.
The Education Departmental Committee announced that Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers under the internship program would be permanently employed this financial year.
National Assembly Reinstates Ksh5.1 Billion for National Exams
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