Nation Reporter Threatened Over National School's Poor KCSE Results

The Nation Media Group Headquarters in Nairobi.
The Nation Media Group Headquarters in Nairobi County
NMG

A Nation Media Group journalist based in West Pokot County has reportedly been threatened by an official from the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) over his reporting on a national school's results.

The reporter had penned an article carried by Nation on Monday, April 25 stating that Chewoyet National School had recorded 62 Ds in the just-announced Kenya Certificate for Secondary Examination (KCSE).

The reporter had alleged that the school recorded a drop in its mean score after three students missed their results.

Following his reporting, a KUPPET official from the region allegedly threatened the journalist who has since recorded a statement with the matter to the Directorate Criminal investigation (DCI) in Kapenguria, West Pokot County.

File Photo of Chewoyet High School based in Kapenguria
File Photo of Chewoyet High School based in Kapenguria
File

"My life is now in danger and if anything happens to me it’s the three people who are responsible. I was just doing my job," the journalist stated.

Pokot Journalists Association led by Chairman Joseph Kintu has condemned the incident, calling for the arrest of the official.

"We condemn such threats in the strongest terms possible, it is unacceptable in such a civilized world, especially from someone of his caliber," he stated.

Efforts by Kenyans.co.ke to get a response from KUPPET regarding the matter which has sparked outrage among locals and Cheyowet's former students were unfruitful.

The school's stamped results slip indicated that it had a mean-score of 7.007 for results of 416 candidates.

225 students scored C+ and above from the official stamped results slip. It however recorded only one A plain with 24 A-(Minuses), 38 B+(plus).

It further recorded 35 D+, 25 D, and 2 D-  bringing the number of students who were within the grade D-bracket to 62. 

The school is the home of some of the country's top figures including the late Vice President Kijana Wamalwa.

Most schools were affected especially due to the pandemic that disrupted the school calendar for almost a year in 2020, with learners staying at home for 9 months.

Schools reopened under tight timelines with most students sitting the national exams within a short period of time.

In Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) 2021, a school in Bomet County made headlines after posting one of the worst performances in the national test.

Chingondi Primary School in Mutharakwa Ward recorded a mean score of 86.04, with the best student recording 137 marks out of the possible 500 marks.

Students sit for a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) exam
Students sit for a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) exam on November 6, 2019.
Photo
KNEC

The school had 17 registered students with the last candidate scoring only 46 marks out of 500.

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