The National Assembly on Saturday reinstated Ksh5.1 billion for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). This decision followed a critical request from Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang, who highlighted the adverse impacts of the budget cut on the administration and invigilation of the exams.
PS Kipsang stressed that the lack of funds would have caused significant disruptions, leaving the exam dates for KPSEA and KCSE uncertain. His urgent appeal underscored the importance of the allocated funds for supervision, invigilation, and examiners’ costs, aligning with the government’s policy on free and compulsory basic education.
The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education promptly responded to Kipsang’s concerns by submitting a proposal to reinstate the slashed budget. The committee’s statement emphasized the necessity of the Ksh5.1 billion reinstatement to facilitate the administration of this year’s national examinations without hitches.
“Had the committee not accepted Kipsang’s proposals, over 3 million students would have been affected by the change of dates. These include 1,264,842 Grade 3 learners, 1,313,913 KPSEA learners, and 965,501 KCSE students,” the statement noted.
According to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), the KCSE exams are scheduled to begin on Monday, November 11, with candidates sitting for the English (Functional Skills) paper. The KCSE exams will conclude on Friday, July 22, with the Physics (Practical) paper. Meanwhile, KPSEA exams are set to start on October 25 and end on October 30.
In addition to reinstating the exam administration funds, the National Assembly committed to ensuring budget allocation for the transition of 46,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms. The Education Departmental Committee confirmed that Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers currently under the internship program will be permanently employed this financial year.
The reinstatement of these funds marks a significant step in supporting the country’s education system, ensuring that national examinations are conducted smoothly and that the essential workforce of teachers receives the necessary job security and benefits.
