Teachers marking 2020 KCSE down tools over reduced allowances

Some of the teachers marking the KCSEat  State House Girls, Nairobi.[Courtesy]

Hundreds of teachers marking the 2020 KCSE examination at the State House Girls centre, Nairobi, have downed their tools protesting reduced allowances.

This is likely to delay the release of the results as earlier communicated by Education CS George Magoha.

A source at the centre told the Standard that the teachers were set to mark the last paper (English) before they are released on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

But on getting reports that the other teachers in the 34 marking centres had been released without pay, the one in Nairobi decided to protest the move, a source told us.

The source, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, said initially the Kenya National Examination Council would pay them an advance of Sh20,000 and complete the balance immediately after results were released.

“Since we came here, we have not received any single pay. We were told due to the current Covid situation, the allowances have been cut by half to Sh10,000,” the source said.

Some of the teachers marking KSCE papers at the State House Girls centre, Nairobi. [Courtesy]

“Now our colleagues in the other centres have already been sent home without any pay. What we are being told is that all the money will be sent to us once the results are released,” the source added.

According to the source, the teachers have endured hardships in the period they have been at the centre under pressure to complete the process in good time.

“We are the last batch of teachers. We have had to deal with poor diet, congestion in hostels and harassment by KNEC officials. Some of our colleagues have been assaulted and it is only fair that we get our allowances before we head home,” the source said.

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha last month said the KCSE results would be released by Monday next week.

But the source told Standard that KNEC officials had pressured them to wind up as they target to release the results this Friday.

Efforts to get a comment from KNEC were futile as the Acting CEO Mercy Karogo did not pick calls or respond to text messages.