Schools release KCSE certificates reluctantly
A National exams official check and frisk Kisumu Boys 2013 KCSE candidates ahead of their English paper 1 when the national secondary exams kicked off.
What you need to know:
- The principals who spoke to the Nation Sunday pleaded with the government to keep its promise by refunding the money to ensure smooth running of their schools.
- Nakuru West Secondary School principal Philip Okinyi said he had released almost all the certificates they have been holding but a majority of the students are yet to pick them.
- However, some school heads who did not wish to be named for fear of victimisation faulted the directive accusing the government of meddling the running of schools.
Most secondary school principals in Nakuru have begun releasing the Kenya Certificates of Secondary Education (KCSE) they have been holding over fees arrears.
This follows a government order that schools should release the certificates to enable the students to proceed with their education.
But the principals are releasing the certificates reluctantly as the government is yet to fulfil its promise to compensate them for the millions of shillings former students owe them.
The principals who spoke to the Nation Sunday pleaded with the government to keep its promise by refunding the money to ensure smooth running of their schools.
Kenyatta Secondary School principal Jacob Odera said he had abided by the government directive and had started releasing the certificates.
“Our school is owed thousands of shillings in school fees arrears but since this is a government directive, I have no choice but to release the certificates,” Mr Odera said.
“But I am hopeful authorities would fast–track refund of the arrears to the affected schools now that they have obeyed the order,” Mr Odera said.
Nakuru West Secondary School principal Philip Okinyi said he had released almost all the certificates they have been holding but a majority of the students are yet to pick them.
“We have abided by the government directive. The certificates still in our hands only because the students have not come for them,” Mr Okinyi said.
However, some school heads who did not wish to be named for fear of victimisation faulted the directive accusing the government of meddling the running of schools.
“We don’t like the way the government is running our education sector. We fear some parents with candidates this year may refuse to pay their term three fees because they know their children will sit their national examinations and still get their certificates,” said one of the principals.
The principal wondered why the government is pushing schools to give out the documents yet it has not released free secondary education funds for the second term forcing schools to incur huge debts.
