Governors hit out at Jacob Kaimenyi for banning mocks
Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Salim Mvurya.
What you need to know:
CoG Vice Chairman Salim Mvurya said the decision is ill informed and ought to be revoked.
If decision is not revisited, he said, the council would take over the responsibility to ensure that the exams are conducted at county level.
The Council of Governors has faulted national government's decision to ban mock exams in schools in a bid to contain rising cases of student unrest.
The decision was made by Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi following a wave of student unrest that has roiled Embu, Nakuru, Taita Taveta, Kilifi, Kiambu and other counties.
Speaking during Kwale High 50th anniversary on Saturday, CoG Vice Chairman Salim Mvurya said the decision is ill informed and ought to be revoked.
If decision is not revisited, he said, the council would fight to have the exams conducted at county level.
NO OFFICIAL LETTER
“I am not a teacher but I once used to be a student and I know that it is important for students to be tested in order to understand their intellectual levels,” he said.
Mr Mvurya, who is also Kwale governor, explained that without sitting for the tests, there is no way intellectual capacities of learners can be gauged.
He asked Prof Kaimenyi to come out and declare whether the decision was based on research or his personal opinion.
“As a council, we have not received any official communication but still the best way to handle this issue is to address the challenges rather than banning the exams,” he said.
Mr Mvurya regretted that the ban came at a time when his government had invested more in education in a bid to reduce poverty.
SH400M BUDGET
He boasted that Kwale is the only county which has set a budgetary allocation of Sh400 million to improve the education standards.
“We have embarked on efforts to improve the education standards in this county but unfortunately other people now want to pull us back,” he said.
Kwale County Assembly Education Committee Chairman Anthony Yama backed his sentiments, accusing Prof Kaimenyi of spoiling the education sector.
Mr Yama, who also represents Kasemeni Ward, said it is important for the council to address the issue in order to improve the education standards.
“The Council of Governors has to address this issue because there is no way that students in public schools can outshine those in private schools without the exams,” he said.
