This archive report was first published on 5 December 2019.
On December 5, 2019, the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) urged the Ministry of Education to introduce a policy allowing students who are sick or expectant to take supplementary national exams.
According to Indimuli Kahi, Kessha's chairman, the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) should permit students to retake KCPE and KCSE exams, rather than attempting them while unwell.
'On the day of exams, she delivers at 5am. At 8am, we appear with a policeman and an invigilator gives her an examination. I have never been pregnant so I don't know the pains of labour, but I have witnessed suffering,' Kahi said, emphasizing the need for students to recover before taking exams.
However, Kahi also suggested that Knec implement measures to prevent candidates from faking illness, such as requiring medical proof.
The Kessha chairman also criticized the school selection process, citing his own son's experience. Despite scoring 401 marks, his son was placed in an unknown institution instead of his preferred school, Mang'u High.
'How is the set-up for schools selection? Does it give a child a good opportunity to make an informed selection? If not, this conference should [reach a resolution for the exercise to be redone] so that there is calm in January,' Kahi said.
