Shimo-la-Tewa principal had no idea KCSE results would be released at the school

The picking of Shimo-la-Tewa High School in Mombasa County as the venue for releasing this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results was kept as secret until 1pm Thursday when the principal, Mr Joseph Mwadime, was informed about the decision.

Describing the news as “a big shock”, Mr Mwadime told the Nation that on Wednesday night, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang called him to say he would visit the school the following day.

“He did not disclose anything so I assumed that he was coming to see how we were preparing ourselves for next week’s opening of schools,” Mr Mwadime said.

However, he was surprised when the PS requested him to prepare a room where he would meet secondary school principals for a briefing. On Thursday morning, the instructions changed and he was asked to prepare the main hall for a bigger meeting.

By 10am, principals were assembled at the school, waiting for Dr Kipsang. An hour later, however, a contingent of police officers arrived at the school and took their positions.

RELEASING RESULTS

One principal from Likoni Sub-County said that until that point, he and his colleagues were not aware that the venue was going to be centre where this year’s KCSE results would be released officially by Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.

“It was not until 1pm when we were told that the CS would be releasing the results at 2.30pm after briefing the Head of State,” said the principal who requested not to be identified.

While addressing the principals, Dr Matiang’i said that he met President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday morning to present the results and brief him about this year’s performance.

“The President was particularly insistent that the stringent measures put in place to remove malpractices should become the norm,” the CS said.

He challenged the heads of primary and secondary schools throughout the country to join him in ensuring that no cheating ever occurs during national examinations.

NOTHING SINISTER

Asked by the Nation why he had picked the school to release the KCSE results, Dr Matiang’i said Shimo-la-Tewa was part of Kenya and there was “nothing sinister” in the choice.

Kenya National Union of Teachers’ Coast Executive member Dan Aloo said the CS’s decision had marketed Mombasa County.

“This has proven that Mombasa is peaceful and that it is indeed a city. We are glad that all went well and we believe this can be done to any other county,” he said.

However, Mr Aloo lamented that the announcement was hurried and did not give union officials sufficient time to attend.

“I was called by my Secretary-General at around 1.25pm ordering me to go to Shimo-la-Tewa. We are glad that the results are out but we did not like it cause they caught us by surprise and our leaders were not even there,” said Mr Aloo.

“Neither Mr Wilson Sossion nor the chairman, Mudzo Nzili, was here but we appreciate the efforts of the leaders because the candidates have received their results.”

Additional Reporting by Mohamed Ahmed