KNEC says KCSE marking going on smoothly

KNEC chairperson Prof. Julius Nyabundi speaks during a past graduation ceremony. [File, Standard]

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) says the marking of the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination is going on smoothly despite a disruption at the St. Francis Girls High School, Mang'u centre.

Examiners at the centre who were marking the CRE paper 1 downed their tools alleging that the chief examiner was mistreating them and that they were getting poor pay compared to others.

In a statement, KNEC chairperson Professor Julius Nyabundi says that they sought an audience with the examiners and agreed to replace the chief examiner and the exercise resumed.

According to Nyabundi, a few examiners demanded that their marking fees be revised upwards, a demand that the exam body could not meet since they cannot find an extra budget.

KNEC says that a marking fee is an individual contract agreed upon before the teachers report to centres to embark on the exercise.

Professor Nyabundi says that the examiners willing to continue with the exercise were allowed to do so while those who wanted leave had their wish granted, adding that they had contacted other examiners to replace them.

Photos and videos showed some of the examiners with their luggage waiting for taxis and bodabodas at the school's main gate while others could be seen walking in search of transport.

The marking exercise for the KCSE began on January 2, 2023, in 35 centres all over the country with the results expected to be released on January 23.