Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha is facing a litmus test as the Class 8 and Grade 4 exams in some schools are likely to suffer delay.
This is after headteachers from various schools complained that they were yet to receive funds to aid them in carrying out the test.
The money was supposed to be used in the printing of the tests but some schools were yet to receive the money as late as Tuesday evening, October 20.
Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) national chairman Nicholas Gathemia noted that the schools had not received any communication regarding the delay.
“As we speak we are still waiting for any official communication with regards to the assessments because we have not received any money from Knec,” he stated.
He further noted that the teachers were ready to administer the tests as long as the state disbursed the money to the various institutions.
Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) CEO Mercy Kerogo had directed the school heads to download the tests from the Ministry of Education and prepare them for the tests.
The materials were to be stored in the headteacher's offices and would be distributed on the day of the exams.
The state had been expected to disburse Ksh1.5 billion Global Partnership for Education funds to boost the schools reopening efforts.
The tests had been scheduled to be administered on Monday, October 19, but were postponed to Wednesday, October 21, to allow the nation to celebrate Mashujaa Day Celebrations on Tuesday.
In a number of cases, students' return to school was hampered by lack of school fees from parents after CS Magoha maintained that parents would be expected to foot a percentage of their children's fees.
"Parents are taking advantage, please take the little money that you have to school, if you go with nothing, you will have to be interrogated, if you can pay, then you must pay," stated Magoha.
This was a stark contrast to the statement the CS had made on September 22, assuring parents that no student would be sent home over lack of fees.
“For boarding schools, the tuition part is also free, the only fee that the parents pay is what the children consume in the house. And my teachers are not animals, they are ready to listen to those parents and we should treat every case as it comes,” Magoha had noted.
