Principals Call For School Early closure and exam postponement Due To Student Unrest
School heads call for early school closure and national exam postponement
Secondary school principals have proposed deferring national exams for two months in order to calm student unrest.
The principals also proposed that schools close early to address the growing indiscipline among students.
The school leaders argue that the students may not be prepared to take the national exams scheduled for March of next year, resulting in an increase in arson cases.
The current candidates were in Form Three last year, according to Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) chair Kahi Indimuli, and their stay at home may have affected their exam preparation.
“When we brought on board Form Four students last year, these students were left at home for a long time. During the period, they were not properly engaged, and some got into the business while some picked up bad behaviour,” said Indimuli.
As a result, he claims, the students who are now Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates panicked, realizing that time was running out.
He says they had a lot of free time at home. Even as teachers try to reintegrate them, they realize they no longer have freedom. Once they returned to school, they realized they were unprepared for the exams and were expressing their frustrations in poor manners.
Even as students are arrested in connection with arson and parents are charged for repairs and new buildings, boarding schools remain anxious places.
But Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha called for calm and said the examinations already prepared “have a human face.”
He stated that the tests would reflect the difficulties caused by the school calendar disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. This means that the results will be moderated differently than in previous years to ensure that the majority of students perform well.
“The exams are ready, and there is no need to panic,” Magoha said at Kisii’s Egentonto Primary School.
The 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations will be held between March 7 and 10, according to the revised education calendar. The KCSE exams will be held between March 11 and April 1, 2022.
Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) CEO David Njengere stated that online registration for candidates ended in August, with 2,056,719 students registered to sit.
There will be 1,225,693 KCPE candidates and 831,026 KCSE candidates.
Indimuli proposed that students be calmed down by closing schools early and delaying exams.
The second term began on October 11 and will last 11 weeks until December 23.
And, according to the revised school calendar, the third term will begin on January 3, 2022, and end on March 4, 2022, after nine weeks.
“Even if we delay examinations by one of two months, we are already late in the whole school calendar,” said Indimuli.
Also Read:
- KNQA to Recognize Non-Formal Learning
- Probe Shows Pressure for Good Results Led to Malpractices in 2022 KCSE Exams
- KUCCPS Lists 153 Govt Sponsored Courses for D- and E Students
- Drama Festivals Kick Off in Machakos Region
- Teachers Involvement in Exam Malpractice Uncovered
He proposed that the school year begin in March 2023.
“The 2023 school calendar was to start in January. We can delay this a bit to start in March so that we can accommodate this adjustment of the students because of the pressure,” said Indimuli.
He stated that he has already submitted the notion to Ministry of Education officials for consideration.
