The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) will release 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results for 880,000 candidates tomorrow. This is despite disruptions that occurred during the marking exercise.
The marking of the 2022 KCSE examinations started on 2nd January 2023 and was scheduled to end before 20th January to allow the results to be released early.
Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Dr Belio Kipsang had said the results will be released before January 23rd when schools reopen.
‘‘Most of us, as you know, have to go out to celebrate Christmas but we shall be running around to make sure that we are prepared to let our children know their status before schools open on January 23,” said Kipsang.
However this the PS said before the Council faced a glitch in its earlier plans.
According to a statement released by the Council dated 10th January, a disruption by CRE Paper 1 examiners had affected the marking of the papers.
“On Tuesday, 10th January 2023, some examiners at one of the centres where marking of Christian Religious Education Paper I is currently taking place attempted to disrupt the exercise over claims that they were unhappy with the ‘‘strict’’ marking regime imposed by the Centre’s Chief Examiner,” read the statement.
Knec reacted by firing 1,200 CRE Paper 1 examiners and replaced its chief examiner stationed at St Francis Mang’u Girls High School as a compromise to ensure a ‘smooth marking exercise’.
According to the teachers, about 500,000 unmarked scripts were remaining but wanted Knec to listen to their grievancies before finishing the marking.
The examiners paralysed the marking exercise citing poor remuneration and a punitive chief examiner.
The exam marking centre had been closed indefinitely after they went on strike on Monday night.
“We just want them to pay us well while keeping in mind the hard economy times in the country. The working conditions are also very poor. We wake up at 4am and sleep at 10pm,” one of the striking examiners said.
But Knec quickly re-advertised their vacancies and asked interested teachers to take up the jobs to allow the completion of the marking exercise.
“In the meantime, the Council has invited trained examiners from its database to ensure the smooth progress of the exercise,” said Knec.
The body said it cannot review payment terms at this point since they were agreed upon before the marking exercise began.
“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.
“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.” It added.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Education led by CS Ezekiel Machogu, PS Belio Kipsang and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) boss Nancy Macharia were at the centre on to calm the situation.
However Knec still sad the marking will be completed on time without further delay.
“The Council wishes to assure the country that the marking exercise is going on well and will be completed in time to ensure a timely release of the KCSE Examination,” said Knec in a statement.