Governor Kiraitu joins calls for re-mark of KCSE exam
Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi addresses mourners at Amatu Catholic Church in Tigania West on December 9, 2017 during the funeral mass of Ameru Professional Association trustee Martha Karwitha Mugambi. He has called for the re-marking of 2017 KCSE examination. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- St Mary’s Igoji was the top school in Meru County at 93 nationally.
Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi has joined leaders questioning the credibility of this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination results and called for the exams be marked again.
Mr Murungi said he was shocked by the mass failure of students, citing his county, which he said did not perform well as compared to the recent past.
Speaking at Nkubu, Imenti South, while meeting the top student nationally, Naomi Kawira, the county boss said that national schools in the region - such as - Meru School failed to make it to the top 100 schools nationally.
St Mary’s Igoji was the top school in the county at 93 nationally.
“We’re surprised we’ve not performed to our expectations. Our top schools like Meru School are not among the top 100 schools.
"It’s only St Mary’s Igoji that was position 93 and top in the county. We believe Meru deserves better so I support those calling for the exams to be re-marked,” he said.
HIGHER EDUCATION
He said it is a disaster for the county since it has produced fewer students who performed well and the top courses will get fewer students.
Meanwhile, retired Mumias ACK Bishop Beneah Salalah said it is high time factors influencing failure are investigated.
“Curbing cheating without giving significant attention to the issue of quality grades is indeed worrying and dimming the future of our children,” he said.
He said the government must come out with clear policy framework on how it intends to deal with more than 541,879 students who could not achieve the university entry points.
TRAINING
Bishop Salalah observed that abandoning such a huge population could turn out to be risky.
No country worth its national name can afford celebrations over such critical mass failure.
He said Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and Kenya National Examinations Council officials should resign, saying there is nothing to celebrate about.
However, the Ministry of Education in a statement said the Kenya National Qualifications Framework 2014 Act had created various education and training progression pathways to allow learners to receive training and qualification right from the basic level to the most advanced levels.
