Marking of KCSE Halted After Examiners Downed their Tools Forcing CS Machogu to Intervene; Knec News Today

Knec News Today Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu arrives at Mangu High School to Address KCSE Examiners on January 10, 2023.

CS Machogu Treated to a Show-Down by KCSE Examiners 2023

The new Cabinet Secretary in charge of Education Ezekiel Ombaki Machogu has tasted the wrath of KCSE examiners 2023 barely six months since taking oath of office.

This follows reports that KCSE examiners contracted by the Kenya National Examinations Council to mark this year’s national examiners went on a go-slow demanding for better services.

KCSE Marking Exercise Interrupted by Examiners at St. Francis Mang’u Girls

Marking of Kenya Certificate of Secondary school Education Examination Christian Religious Education (CRE) paper one has been disrupted by the examiners who are based at St Francis Mangu.

This issue forced the CS for Education Ministry Ezekiel Machogu and the TSC CEO, Nancy Macharia to arrive at St Francis Mangu to broker the stalemate that has existed since yesterday night regarding the CRE P1 Examiners.

Among the grievances that the teachers had presented is the poor working conditions as well as the rate of payment which is currently at Ksh 55 per script and they wanted it to be improved and increased to Ksh 100 per script.

“KCSE marking exercise disrupted at Mang’u Girls High School after teachers handling CRE papers down tools protesting payment and poor working conditions.”

The irate examiners had demanded that without the exit of their chief examiner, they won’t rescind their grounds.

These dejected demoralized Examiners had earlier camped at the school playground awaiting further directions.

Teachers taking part in marking KCSE reported to their respective marking centres on Monday last week by 2:00 P.M.

Team leaders and subject coordinators already reported a week earlier. For a week now the teachers have been working on co-ordination marking schemes for different subjects.

KCSE Examiners Decry Poor  KNEC Payment Rates Per Subject 2022-2023; Stage Mild Demos

Knec News Today: Examiners hired by the Kenya National Examinations Council, Knec, examinations this year have downed their tools again over long overdue and poor payment rates per subject.

According to reliable sources, at St. Francis Mang’u Girls, nothing significant seems to be going on as details emerge showing that examiners are on a mild go-slow.

Last year, some examiners have confided in our team revealing that Knec had delayed providing them with payment forms for their advance. They feared that Knec may delay their payment like it did the previous year citing insufficient funds when summoned by Parliament over delayed payment for examiners.

Knec Examiners’ Payment Rates per Subject 2022-2023

The cost of marking Scripts of the learners varies from one subject to another owing to the unique formart and nature of each subject and paper. In some instances, different papers in a given subject are also paid differently per script.

According to instructions seen by this writer a Christian Religious education (CRE) examiner will be paid a co-ordination fee of Kes. 150.00 per day, a basic fee of Kes 1,100.00, scripts fee at the rate of Kes. 55 per script and travel based on your work station. The scripts rate takes care of all marking related activities including and not limited to the actual marking of scripts, entry of scores on mark sheets, cross checking, adjudication and report writing.

Payments to all contracted professionals shall be taxed in accordance with the PAYE regulations/guidelines. Examiners will be charged a withholding tax at 5%for any payment above Kes. 24,000. Subsequently, only those who reach this threshold will be taxed.

English Paper III pays the highest among written exams, at Sh77 per script, while Biology Paper 1, Paper 2 and paper 3 examiners earn Sh52 per script.

Examiners marking Chemistry Paper 1, paper 2 and paper 3 earn an Sh52,per scrips while teachers marking Physics paper 1, paper 2 and paper pocket sh60 per script.

Tutors marking Christian Religious education (CRE) both paper 1 and paper two are paid sh55 per script. History and Government examiners are also paid sh55 per script.

A script of Computer paper 1 attracts a cost of sh 54. For computer paper 1 a teacher is paid sh65 per script.

Kiswahili paper 3 is one of the subjects that attracts more shillings per script. Each examiner is paid sh 69 per every paper marked.

Supervisors and invigilators were paid during the month of May. The highest paid Supervisor was paid a total of Sh12,510 while the highest paid invigilator earned Sh9860.

Centre Managers for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, KCPE, exams pocketed a daily subsistence allowance of Sh500; for a total of 4 days (including rehearsal day). The exams were administered between March 7 and March 9 2022.

Secondary schools Principals are expected to also earn a daily allowance of Sh500 for 18 days. The KCSE exams started on February 28, 2022 with the last examination day being April 1, 2022.