KCSE results cancellation is damaging, says MP Keynan

Concern remains over the government's decision to cancel the 2018 KCSE results for some schools in North Eastern, Eldas MP Adan Keynan saying it was an unnecessary punishment for students who toiled for years.  

Mr Keynan urged the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) to reconsider its move saying it exposes the students to proscribed terror groups such as Al-Shabaab.

He said the government should track those involved in cheating, a criminal offense under Kenyan laws, noting that it takes supervisors, invigilators and school heads for malpractices to occur.

“The cancellation affects many students yet it may have been caused by an individual. Those involved are the ones who should been arraigned in court,” Mr Keynan said on Sunday.

SECURITISATION

The lawmaker further warned against the securitisation of national exams.

“It scares students. We need to change that because exam cheating is a moral issue," he said.

"Before cancelling results, let competent government agencies conduct proper investigations. Let us also deal with the after-effects of this in a civilised manner.”  

FRESH TESTS

About 17 schools from the region were affected by the cancellation.

On December 21, while releasing the results of the 2018

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education tests at the Knec headquarters- Nairobi, Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said some were withheld pending investigations into allegations of irregularities.

The CS did not provide the names of the affected schools.

Later, Knec chairman George Magoha told the students that they have the option of re-registering for this year's tests.

TERRORISM

Regarding the threat presented by Al-Shabaab and other terror groups, Mr Keynan lauded the Kenya Defence Forces for their work in Somalia.

He noted, however that the troops need more support, and not just from the Kenyan government, but from the region and the world.

The Somalia based Al-Shabaab group is among the many illegal ones that have been recruiting youths into its networks to cause terror attacks in Eastern Africa states.

Kenyans soldiers are part of the African Union Mission in Somalia, which has soldiers from countries including Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

“We must all condemn terror attacks in unison. We have no apologies to make for the presence of KDF officers in Somalia,” Mr Keynan said, noting religions and tribes do not matter as terrorism concerns a psychological condition.

"We must play our roles effectively by protecting our borders. This entails providing the required information to state agencies.”

STRATEGIC PLAN

The MP spoke in Nairobi during the public participation exercise for the constituency's strategic development plan for the current financial year.

The Eldas strategic development plan has been in the pipeline since 2007 when Mr Keynan was the MP for Wajir West before it was split.

It is largely anchored on the Jubilee Party manifesto of 2017 as well as his own promises during the 2017 political campaigns, among them clean water, proper infrastructure and easy access to basic education.