Education CS Fred Matiang’i says 2016 KCSE grades are credible and verifiable

From left: Equity Bank chairman Peter Munga, Education CS Dr. Fred Matiang'i and the bank's CEO Dr. James Mwangi leave after the launch and presentation of scholarships to over 1700 students who benefited from the programme. This was at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi on on 09/01/2017. PHOTO BY PIUS CHERUIYOT

Education Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i has brushed off claims of 'cooked' Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.

Allaying fears on a possible recall of the results, Matiang'i has insisted that the released grades for both KCSE and Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) are credible and verifiable.

He said those spreading information detailing otherwise are just prophets of doom not happy with the current reforms being undertaken in the education sector.

The CS said he is however not surprised at all with the 'malicious rumours' from several quarters criticizing some of the milestones achieved under his tenure among them weeding out cheating in national exams.

He said such are the same characters that bashed him when he refused to close schools as fires razed down 141 of them.

"We declined to heed to their calls as we saw a hand in exam cheating and text book sellers seeking to capitalize on it," said Matiang'i.

Matiang'i said the examination system had in the past been taken over by greedy individuals with selfish interests that contributed to the poor frameworks in place denying qualified and deserving candidates opportunities.

He alluded that beneficiaries of the KCPE exam leakage are the same who went ahead to join the best schools benefiting also from stolen KCSE exams only for them to flop in the competitive programmes at universities, such as medicine and engineering, to which they were admitted.

"We ran a credible examination and released formidable results in both KCPE and KCSE. The Ministry will not be distracted by the prophets of doom who want us to return to the past unethical practices that allowed children of the rich access stolen examinations at KCPE level," said Matiang'i.

He added: "We will remain firm and determined to make the difference that will level the examination playground for all Kenyan children irrespective of family status, region or tribe."

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya University Staff Union(KUSU) are among the unions calling for an audit of the KCSE results arguing that they do not reflect the true performance on the ground.

Some of the loopholes cited are why some of those candidates who scored the university entry mark of C plus, 38,000 are boys while 50,000 are girls, and how comes it was marked in the shortest time possible.

"Reforms of any kind attract different types of resistance. Sincere people will come with open resistance seeking to dialogue while others plan hidden resistance out of unfounded fear. Some will even advance malicious resistance that is born of ill intentions," noted the CS.

The CS made the remarks during the commission ceremony of the 2017 Wings to Fly Programme by Equity Group held at Kasarani on Monday.

Some 1,700 candidates from needy backgrounds across the country who sat for their KCPE last year were handed full four year scholarships to study in their respective secondary schools.

Also, 600 straight A students in the 2016 KCSE were awarded eight months leadership programmes where they will be working in different branches of Equity banks as they wait to join university.

The event was attended by Equity Group Chair Peter Munga, Equity Bank boss Dr James Mwangi and The Master Card Foundation President Rita Roy among other supporters of the programme.

In support of the reforms being seen in the sector, Equity Bank boss Dr James Mwangi said they are inevitable if the country wants to realize vision 2030.

"Though reforms may be painful to some quarters, the foundation of any nation lies in the human resource capacity of the country built by its education system, not on building rails roads or any infrastructure," said Mwangi.

He added: "When you allow an exam not to reflect the true competence of the human resource capital then we are bound not to deliver the ideas that will solve the fundamental problems of this country.

Apart from supporting 14,368 students so far, the programme also prides itself with rolling out the Equity Afya Franchise Network a product of the doctors sponsored by the programme which seeks to provide affordable healthcare to needy Kenyans.