Kuppet: Pay deputy heads for exam roles

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has accused the Kenya National National Examination Council (Knec) of violating basic employment terms.

Kuppet Kisii branch Chairman Laban Ouko said Knec should invest in the people who make the examinations work and stop depending on voluntary service.

 Mr Ouko told Saturday Standard all deputy principals have been ordered to be in school during the entire examination period without any formal agreement on their pay.

All science teachers are also expected in schools a day before and during practical examinations to ensure everything is in place. Chemistry teachers are expected to get school values required for marking of the center papers.

Agriculture, music, home science and computer teachers are also expected to take the students through projects which run through several months.

“It’s worth noting that all these professionals play these roleswithout any contract with Knec. All KNEC does is wait for the slightest of errors to punish these professionals without any regard as to how they are facilitated to enable them perform these tasks,” he said.

Kuppet National Secretary General Akello Misori said the union had taken over the matter and was negotiating with Knec on possible award of allowances to the said teachers.

“The payment being given to head teachers during the examperiod doesn’t match the work they do. This has been a long struggle but teachers must be ready to take up their responsibility. They can’t afford to abscond duty," Misori said.

Last month, Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said the government will spend Sh4.2 billion to run this year’s national examinations.

The money will be used to pay 103,085 invigilators, 37,432  supervisors, 74,478 security officers and 29,547 examiners.