Ban on ranking of schools stays, declares Kaimenyi
From left: KNEC CEO Joseph Kavilu, council chairperson Kabiru Kinyanjui, Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang, Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi and Education PS Collette Suda releasing 2014 KCSE examination results at Mitihani House in Nairobi on March 3, 2015. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Prof Kaimenyi, who was speaking at Mitihani House in Nairobi when he released the Form Four exam results, cited the findings of various committees set up by the government to look into education, including the latest by the Kilemi Mwiria task force last year.
- He said performance indices were calculated based on raw marks, now in the hands of the Kenya National Examinations Council.
- Kuppet Chairman Omboko Milemba said the government should restore the ranking system as the information would help to determine the capabilities of candidates joining tertiary institutions.
The ban on the ranking of schools and candidates will stay.
Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi insisted the decision was taken due to the demerits of ranking, which, he said, by far outweigh the merits.
Prof Kaimenyi, who was speaking at Mitihani House in Nairobi when he released the Form Four exam results, cited the findings of various committees set up by the government to look into education, including the latest by the Kilemi Mwiria task force last year.
Others include the 2012 Douglas Odhiambo task force on education reforms, the 2008 parliamentary committee led by MP David Koech, the 2001 Naomy Wangai Task force on School Unrest and the 1999 Presidential Commission of Enquiry into the Education System chaired by Dr Davy Koech.
“This, therefore, means that just like the case in the 2013 examination, I will not be recognising any schools or candidates on the basis of performance in the 2014 examination,” said Prof Kaimenyi.
NOT COMPUTED
“The performance indices, which are used to facilitate ranking, have not been computed by the council, hence it will not be possible to determine the order of ranking of the 3,073 candidates who scored the highest grade of A (plain).”
He said performance indices were calculated based on raw marks, now in the hands of the Kenya National Examinations Council.
Yesterday, the Kenya National Union of Teachers and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers accused the government of concealing crucial information from Kenyans despite being guaranteed this right by the Constitution.
National union of teachers Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said students and schools should be ranked for them to gauge their strengths and improve.
“We cannot have quality education when there is no ranking,” he said.
Kuppet Chairman Omboko Milemba said the government should restore the ranking system as the information would help to determine the capabilities of candidates joining tertiary institutions.
Kenya Private Schools Association Chief Executive Peter Ndoro said abolishing ranking did not go down well with the education sector.
He claimed the Mwiria task force had not recommend the abolishment of ranking.
The Education Ministry says it abolished ranking because teachers and candidates engaged in unethical practices in the race for top positions.
