School heads warned on withheld certificates

Secondary school head teachers withholding certificates of former students have been warned.

Kitui Senator David Musila told the heads they risk being imprisoned if the Senate approves amendments he has proposed.

Mr Musila said it was illegal for school heads to withhold any certificates of former students as the law safeguarding the same was already in place.

"I want to appeal to all head teachers still withholding certificates to do the honourable thing and release them forthwith for the sake of our children, who would genuinely want to pursue their careers," he said.

The former Mwingi South MP had in November 2004 successfully moved a motion in Parliament that urged the Government to release all KCSE certificates held by head teachers.

Addressing a press conference in Parliament yesterday, Musila said the Senate would review the law to impose sanctions and heavy penalties for head teachers, who will continue to withhold the certificates.

Musila said he was glad the Teachers Service Commission had taken up the matter as well. "I want to thank the commission through the Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia, whom I read in the media this week directing all head teachers to release all the certificates belonging to former students since 2007," he said.

He said he had already written to Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i urging him to direct head teachers to release the certificates in compliance with the law.