Uncertainty Surrounds KCSE Exams Over Teachers’ Allowance Dispute

Uncertainty Surrounds KCSE Exams Over Teachers’ Allowance Dispute.

With only two weeks left before the commencement of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, concerns about the administration of the tests have arisen following the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) renewing their demand for increased allowances for teachers involved in the process.

Kuppet had initially submitted their request for higher compensation to the Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Ogamba, in September.

However, the government has yet to respond to the union’s demands. The Kuppet Secretary-General, Akello Misori, expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of response, stating that the government appears to be treating the matter lightly.

According to Misori, the government has not engaged the union in discussions about the allowance adjustments but has merely called teachers for briefings.

Proposed Allowance Adjustments

Kuppet has outlined specific changes to the daily rates for teachers involved in the examination process. The union is pushing for:

• Invigilators to receive Sh3,000 per day, up from the current Sh400.
• Supervisors to earn Sh3,500 per day, an increase from Sh450.
• Principals, who act as examination centre managers, to receive Sh4,500 per day, compared to the current Sh500.

Misori pointed out that the current payments are insufficient, especially given the significant responsibility teachers bear during the exams.

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He emphasized that exams are a sensitive issue, where mistakes could lead to legal consequences.

“It’s unfair to have a multi-agency approach during the examinations but teachers are paid peanuts. Examinations are a sensitive matter that can lead to jail terms if one makes a mistake. We’re not asking for too much. We’ll respond in a big way and the two weeks remaining are enough. We’re not limited to a boycott; we’ll do more,” said Mr Misori.

He hinted at a strong response from the union if their demands are not met, although he did not elaborate on specific actions.

Unresolved Issues From Previous Strike

This call for better remuneration has been a lingering issue for Kuppet. It was among the grievances during the August strike, which was called off after the union reached an agreement with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Nevertheless, the matter remains unresolved.

In response to the situation, the CEO of the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) highlighted that the council had increased rates for supervisors, examiners, and marking centres the previous year.

However, Education Cabinet Secretary Ogamba had not provided any comments by the time of publication.

Knec has been grappling with financial challenges, especially after the government discontinued charging examination fees in schools.

The council now relies on a block allocation from the National Treasury, which has been insufficient to meet the growing demand caused by increasing candidate numbers each year.

This shortfall has led to delays in paying teachers participating in the examination exercise. In the current budget, Knec received Sh5 billion.

New KCSE Examination Guidelines

Despite these challenges, Knec has introduced new measures to improve the efficiency and integrity of the KCSE exams.

The written exams will take place from October 28 to November 22, 2024. Among the new measures, each candidate’s exam papers will be personalized with their photo and index number.

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This year, 965,501 candidates have been registered across 10,755 centres, up from 903,260 in 2023.

Additionally, Knec has implemented a rotation system for supervisors, where each will serve at an examination centre for only one week before being reassigned to a different location.

This strategy aims to reduce familiarity with centres and strengthen exam security.

Uncertainty Surrounds KCSE Exams Over Teachers’ Allowance Dispute.

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