Clergy Want the Government to Pay the 2022 KNEC Examiners Quickly
A portion of the clergy has urged the government to pay the examiners who oversaw the 2022 Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) exams as soon as possible.
Teachers are now publicly declaring their desire to abstain from taking part in this year’s exam administration and scoring.
Bishop of the Orthodox Church in Eldoret, Nandi County, and the northern Kenya Diocese Neophitus Kong’ai highlighted the clergy’s displeasure with the postponed payments to teachers.
Speaking at a Holy Resurrection Church event that coincided with the Orthodox Church’s celebration of the New Year’s calendar, Kongai underlined that the government should set aside enough money in its budget to give the examination process priority, preventing unneeded crises.
The government took a full year to fulfill salaries owed to teachers who monitored the KCPE, KCSE, and KPSEA exams the previous year, according to Patrick Munuhe, chairman of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).
Munuhe added that despite repeated correspondence attempts to aye, the payments were severely delayed.
Munuhe added that unless there were clear guidelines and assurances surrounding compensation, instructors would not be motivated to take on invigilation roles for the next national tests.
He claimed that KNEC had been given two weeks to settle the unpaid obligations.
Munuhe warned that, should the past-due payments not be swiftly handled, instructors would be fully prepared to take action, including possibly declining to supervise the national tests in 2023.
If the payments are not made quickly, KNUT has threatened protests outside KNEC offices, which could be joined by examiners.
Exams for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) will begin on October 10 and go through November 24 in 2023.
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) will both be completed at the same time, according to Knec.
The tests for both levels will start on October 30 and go through November 1 of 2023.
