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KCSE 2020/ 2021 LATEST NEWS; The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers, KUPPET, has threatened to boycott the marking of this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE, national examinations citing poor facilitation.
Frustrated KUPPET Secretary-General (SG) Akello Misori noted that the government is yet to disburse free secondary capitation funds to schools hence making it difficult for school administrators to oversee the smooth running of the ongoing examinations.
Teachers, he said, are finding it difficult to administer practical examinations since the government has failed to release funds to schools.
“We are not happy with the way the national examinations are being conducted because the government has not put in place measures to ensure that schools handle the exercise without stress,” noted Misori.
In the just-ended term, he said the government only released Ksh 1, 300 per pupil which fell short of what is supposed to be used for the administration of examinations.
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF KCSE 2020/2021 MARKING CENTRES TO AVOID EXPOSING TEACHERS TO COVID-19, KUPPET TELLS KNEC
The designated marking centers, he added, are too squeezed and likely to expose teachers to Covid-19 disease.
Speaking in Kisumu on Tuesday after the union’s National Executive Board meeting with officials from Kisumu and Siaya Counties, Misori asked the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to expand the marking centers, failure to which the union shall ask teachers to boycott the exercise.
KNEC, he said, must urgently open the marking centers that were closed to ensure that teachers follow the Covid-19 protocols while undertaking the exercise.
“With this third wave of Covid-19 we cannot afford to congest our teachers in dormitories as has been the case in the past,” he said.
He said the union has presented the grievances to the Ministry of Education and KNEC adding that if action is not taken, teachers shall not report to the marking centers as directed.
“We are talking to the government and KNEC to take advantage of this window to sort out this failure to which we shall ask our teachers not to report to the marking centers,” he said.
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BELOW IS THE FULL LIST OF ISSUES THAT KNEC CONTRACTED EXAMINERS 2021 WANT THEIR UNION, KUPPET TO ADDRESS
List of issues that the KCSE Knec Contracted Examiners want KUPPET to address before turning up for the marking exercise in April 2021
Here is the list of issues that the KCSE examiners 2021 want KUPPET to address:
KCSE 2021 Knec contracted examiners list of demands:
1) The marking centers to be decentralized, away from the city where the prevalence rate is high to other areas where it is low.
2) centers should not hold more than 400 examiners to ensure social distance in hostels and eateries.
To actualize this; mathematics, English, Kiswahili, and Business Studies papers can be split and marked in neighboring schools to ensure collaboration and easier coordination.
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4) *Taxation barred teachers from applying for the 2021 TSC promotions* because of arrears.
They, therefore, demand knec to increase the rate meant to cushion examiners from Taxation. An increase of 130% will cover taxes. Or alternatively, bargain with kra to lower tax rate to 5% just like SMEs tax gain. Since these wages are not part of the salary.
5) Risk allowance for all KCSE Knec Examiners of Kshs 20, 000 just like nurses and other medics who carry out the national duty of fighting pandemics.
6) Every Examiner to be provided with Sanitizers since those papers will be handled by a number of people; markers, 2 crosscheckers, TL, ACE, CE. Data capture etc.
7) KNEC to sign contractual agreement to compensate for teachers who die in the line of duty or those who may get hospitalized due to covid 19 contracted during marking period.
8) Transport allowance should be enhanced to factor in prevailing circumstances. The transport sector has increased fares due to increase in petrol and reduction in passengers per vehicle.
9) Marking belts to be reduced to 4 examiners to enhance social distance.
10) Marking time to be reduced from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm. to reduce interaction time.
11. The examiners also demand *HARMONISATION* of the rates per paper because all examiners work in similar conditions
12. They also demand free face masks, gloves which should be changed after every session of 2 hours.
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