On 22 November 2018, teachers’ unions renewed pressure on the government to allow KCPE candidates who missed the exams to sit supplementary papers, arguing that the promise had already been made at the highest level.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) said the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) should not bar candidates from a second chance when similar arrangements are common in colleges and universities. Their demand followed the release of the 2018 KCPE results in Mombasa by Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.
According to the ministry, 8,347 pupils who had registered for the tests did not appear, while some others sat the papers from hospitals. Amina said the number of absentee candidates had fallen by 14.18 per cent from 9,726 in 2017.
“I have asked the quality assurance and standards directorate in the ministry to track down the candidates,” the minister said.
Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba said the missing candidates had different reasons for failing to report and should not be locked out permanently. Knut secretary-general Wilson Sossion also said it was wrong to force sick candidates and those who had delivered babies to take the examinations in that condition.
“The government must put in place mechanisms to ensure that such candidates are given a second chance to do exams when they are at peace,” Mr Sossion said.
Knec chairman Prof George Magoha, however, said on Monday that there would be no supplementary examinations, despite earlier assurances that plans were being considered. The dispute revived a 2017 State House statement in which the President directed the education ministry to set supplementary examinations for a special cadre of students who, for compassionate reasons, could not sit normal tests.
Until such a policy is put in place, affected students have continued to re-register and wait for the following year’s examinations.
