The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) has finally started crediting money into examiners accounts after months of tussle with examiners who faulted the body for dragging their payment.
Already teachers who marked Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) 2020 English paper have confirmed receiving the much awaited dues into their accounts.
Knec has been blamed for delaying payments for examiners who executed their job well leading to results being released to the public.
Just recently CS Education Prof. George Magoha was summoned in parliament to answer questions on why Knec is not making payment to examiners who marked last years exams.
PS Julius Juan and team which included officials from Knec said the delay is attributed to the fact that the government is was working within the given timeline.
PS Juan said the examiners taking part in marking are not forced but do it willingly. He further said examination marking is part of teachers work and whatever they pay is just appreciation.
Honourable Wilson Sossion who is also a nominated MP had raised a concern on examiners remuneration saying the payment structure should be reviewed since the one being used is for 2019 and now obsolete.
“If marking was voluntary in the past it cannot remain voluntary forever we must have a turning point and address ourselves to the work being done by examiners. Yes marking is part of their duty but not within the job description. It is time we look at their remuneration,” said Sossion.
Sossion said it is time the examiners get paid because they offered services and that the services are not free.
Last month a similar session happened in Parliament where Knec officials were summoned to appear in parliament for questioning after numerous complaints by teachers who said they have not been paid months after the exams were marked and released.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bomet Central constituency Mr. Ronald Tonui posed a question on why the examiners have not been paid after marking the 2020 KCSE exams.
“Explain why the Kenya National Examinations Council has not paid teachers who marked KCSE 2020 examinations and when they will be paid,” asked Tonui.
This is what Knec said in response.
“Hon. Chair, KNEC engages teachers and other contracted professionals in the administration and marking of national examinations and pays them a token for the services rendered.
The reconciliation of the 2020 KCSE examiners script fees has been completed and the total amount payable is Kes.1,025,235,307 out of which Kes.251,251,200 was paid at the conclusion of the marking period between 4th and 7th May 2021.
Thus, the amount outstanding is Kes.773,984, 107.00.
For the FY 2020/2021, KNEC was allocated KCPE/KCSE grants of Kes.4,023,868, 712 instead of the required Kes.4,588,244,200 at Kes.800 per candidate for KCPE and Kes.5,400 per candidate for KCSE.
Consequently, KNEC was not unable to pay the teachers who were engaged during the marking of the 2020 KCSE examinations on time.
The Ministry has however engaged the National Treasury for the release of the outstanding funds to ensure that the outstanding arrears are paid as soon as possible to the markers,”
On Friday, July 6, Kuppet top officials asked its teachers not to take up any Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) jobs including marking national examinations until payment policies are developed and implemented.
Kuppet Secretary General, Akelo Misori, noted that teachers who were contracted to mark the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education have not been paid four months after being involved in the exercise.
“In light of this grave violation, the union asks all its members to boycott all KNEC exercises until teachers’ compensations issues are addressed through a framework of a Collective Bargaining Agreement,” Misori stated.
The Secretary General also asked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to step in and ensure that the money is released to teachers immediately.
Misori also urged the TSC to develop and implement policies guiding the involvement of teachers by other government agencies.
“In particular, the commission should join Kuppet in pushing for the development of regulations for the management of examinations as envisaged under the KNEC Act,” Misori stated.
He also noted that KNEC has been subjecting teachers to poor working conditions including travelling, accommodation, and remuneration during marking exercises.
“To add insult to injury, the council is currently reviewing its regulations to further burden teachers by merging examination centers and cutting back on the already poor compensation per script,” Misori noted.
KNEC ordered schools with less than 30 KCPE and KCSE candidates to register their students in the neighboring schools, something that Misori says will erode the autonomy of schools, increase examiners distance, and undermine the security of examination materials.
In 2020, some 227,679 teachers were recruited as invigilators, supervisors, center managers, and examiners.
