On 20 November 2018, Kuppet secretary general said the 2018 KCPE candidates deserved credit for completing their first eight years of schooling, but argued that the test has been turned into a make-or-break event that distracts from real learning.
Speaking to The Star, he said education should be judged by how well it develops learners’ minds, not by the amount of energy spent policing examinations. He added that the government has poured major resources into preventing cheating, while the bigger problem of weak learning conditions has been left unresolved.
He said many schools still lack enough teachers, classrooms and basic support to deliver quality instruction. In his view, the condition and size of classrooms, together with staffing levels, are clear signs that standards are slipping.
The union official also said poor performance in KCPE should not stop pupils from moving on to secondary school. He called for all learners to be allowed to proceed, and urged the Ministry of Education to open a wider conversation on quality as Kenya pilots the competency-based approach.
He further said the country needs heavier investment in education to cope with the large number of learners passing through the system. That, he argued, would reduce the anxiety around grades and shift attention back to the knowledge and skills pupils actually acquire.
According to him, current examinations no longer measure whether a child has truly learned. Instead, he said, they mainly determine placement into university or other next steps, or leave a learner with no option at all.
He also said the testing system needs to be reviewed because it no longer serves its intended purpose. More urgently, he warned that the playing field must be kept fair so that no candidate gains access to the exams ahead of others.
The Kuppet secretary general spoke to the Star.
