Tensions are mounting as the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams draw near, with teachers threatening action over an unresolved pay dispute.
Kenyans.co.ke has learnt that just two weeks before the start of the exams, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) is grappling with unrest among educators who are demanding higher allowances for invigilating, supervising, and marking the exams.
The government has yet to commit to these demands, raising concerns about potential disruptions.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has been at the forefront of the push for better compensation, submitting a formal request in September to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. The union is advocating for daily rates of Ksh3,000 for invigilators, Ksh3,500 for supervisors, and Ksh4,500 for principals who manage examination centres.
Currently, these officials receive a meagre Ksh400 to Ksh500 per day. Despite the union's persistent calls, the government has remained silent on the matter, offering no indication of a negotiation.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General, Collins Oyuu, shared with Kenyans.co.ke that educators are becoming increasingly restless over the stalemate.
“The government has yet to address our demands. Teachers are growing impatient,” Oyuu remarked. KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori echoed these sentiments, accusing the government of not taking the matter seriously. "They’ve only called teachers for briefings, not discussions on allowances," Misori stated.
Teachers’ grievances about exam allowances have been simmering for months. In August, KUPPET threatened a strike over the issue but temporarily shelved the action after reaching a tentative agreement with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). However, with the government failing to follow through, the unions are again gearing up for potential industrial action.
KNEC, already facing financial constraints, has struggled to compensate exam officials since the government discontinued charging fees for national exams. Its budget of Ksh5 billion remains stretched thin, given the rising number of candidates. Last year, allowances for supervisors, examiners, and markers were increased, but unions argue that the adjustments were insufficient.
Further complicating the situation, KNEC recently issued new guidelines for the upcoming exams, which will run from October 28 to November 22, 2024. The council has registered 965,501 candidates across 10,755 centres, marking an increase from the 903,260 candidates last year. Exam papers will now be personalised with each candidate's photo and index number, aiming to enhance exam integrity.
Meanwhile, misinformation has added to the anxiety, with a falsified KCSE timetable circulating online. KNEC dismissed the document, urging Kenyans to refer to its official website for accurate schedules. “The timetable doing the rounds is inaccurate and not from the Kenya National Examinations Council,” the council clarified.
