Primary school headteachers whose schools scored mean score of below 250 in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) have been issued with show cause letters by their Sub-County Directors.
The affected school Heads of Institutions (HOI’s) are now grappling with the letters which require a swift and timely response on to why they failed to meet the minimum scores as envisaged in their 2023 performance contracts.
The HOI’s have been given fourteen days to respond to why disciplinary action should not be taken against them and measures they will take to address the gaps.
In January the primary and secondary school headteachers and principals signed the 2024 TSC performance contracts.
The performance contracts captured the targeted KPSEA and KCSE mean scores to be met by the school heads.
“As the Head Teacher, it is my undertaking to provide the required leadership in
designing suitable plans and strategies to deliver educational services and enable this school realize its
goals.
I will also perform my duties and responsibilities diligently and to the best of my abilities to support
the achievement of the agreed performance targets,” reads part of the contract for primary HOI’s.
The Commission is currently working on a system that will enable it monitor performance of primary headteachers under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
The final scores in grade 6 through the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) will be translated to check the performance of primary school heads.
Some headteachers have also faced the wrath and hostility from parents after their schools recorded poor KCPE results.
In 2023 at least 1,415,315 candidates sat for the KCPE exams while a total of 1,282,574 candidates sat for their KPSEA.
The top learner in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), Michael Warutere scored 428 marks.
This is according to Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu who made the announcement at Mtihani House in Nairobi on Thursday, November 23, during the release of the 2023 KCPE results.
Some 8,525 (0.60 percent) candidates managed to score between 400 and 500 marks while 352,782 (24.29 percent) candidates scored between 300 and 399 marks.
Students who scored between 200 and 299 marks were 658,278 representing 48.49 percent while those who got between 100 and 199 were 383,025, accounting for 27.07 percent.
Those who scored between 001 and 099 were 2,060 candidates accounting for 0.15 percent.