KNEC Downplays Teachers Payment Review, Replaces Mang’u Chief Examiner
Tuesday, January 10, the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) allayed concerns surrounding the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination marking.
The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has decided to replace the chief examiner stationed at St Francis Mang’u Girls High School.
Unhappy teachers marking CRE paper 1 threw down their tools in protest of inadequate pay and poor working conditions.
Earlier, examiners marking Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations at the institution paralyzed the exercise, citing poor compensation and a harsh chief examiner.
After they went on strike on Monday evening, the exam marking centre was shuttered indefinitely.
In response to rumors of a strike by teachers marking papers at St. Francis Girls Mang’u High School, KNEC Chairman Julius Nyabundi stated that the exercise remained on track and was responding well ahead of the scheduled release deadline.
Regarding the interruptions that occurred on Tuesday, KNEC stated that the teachers’ concerns had previously been handled.
The examination council then dismissed the teachers’ accusations, stating that the strike was instigated by a number of teachers who did not wish to honor contracts agreed prior to the assignment.
“Despite responding to their initial demand, a few of the examiners yet again came up with a fresh call that the marking fee be revised upwards.
Since the issue of the examiner’s marking fee is an individual contract and agreed to before reporting to a centre, the Council found it impossible to find an extra budget to revise the rates midway,” the CEO stated.
In addition, KNEC emphasized that unhappy teachers were allowed to voluntarily resign from their positions.
Those willing to continue marking, however, were permitted to do so at the agreed-upon rates.
As a result, KNEC encouraged qualified examiners from its database to apply for the vacated posts in order to ensure the exercise’s smooth progression.
In a previous statement, Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) leaders asserted that KNEC had introduced “unfair” marking procedures.
The union, led by its Secretary-General Akelo Misori, accused KNEC of discrimination against teachers marking Christian Religious Education (CRE) at the centre where marking was interrupted.
In addition, they stipulated that the price per sheet be increased from Ksh50 to Ksh100.
“It is regrettable that the centre at Mang’u High School is in a state of crisis, as the chief examiner has resorted to intimidating examiners and utilizing unfair tactics, such as requiring examiners to rise at 4:00 a.m. and mark until 10:00 p.m.
This compromises the integrity of the examination,” Misori stated.
According to the teachers, there are over 500,000 ungraded scripts left, but they were expecting to complete them by Friday or Saturday.
As a concession to ensure a smooth marking process, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has reportedly agreed to replace the chief examiner.
However, KNEC claims it cannot review the payment terms at this time because they were agreed upon before to the beginning of the grading process.
“Unfortunately, despite responding to their initial demand, a few of the examiners yet again came up with a fresh call that the marking fee be revised upwards. Since the issue of the examiner’s marking fee is an individual contract, and agreed to before reporting to a centre, the Council found it impossible to find an extra budget to revise the rates midway,” KNEC said.
It added: “The Council, therefore, resolved to allow the examiners who were willing to continue with the marking process to do so uninterrupted. Equally, those who wished to exit the marking
exercise were allowed to do so without causing further interruptions to the process.”
On Tuesday, senior officials from the Ministry of Education, led by CS Ezekiel Machogu, PS Belio Kipsang, and the head of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Nancy Macharia, were at the centre to calm the situation.
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