PS Belio puts a freeze on leaves ahead of exams
Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang (centre) with Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo (right) addressing the press after inspecting an examination container in Isiolo County on October 2, 2018. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Practical examinations for Form Four will start on October 22 and end on November 1.
Written examinations will start on November 5 and run until the end of the month.
The Ministry of Education has suspended annual leaves for its officers across the country until the national examinations end next month.
In a circular dated October 2 to regional coordinators of education, Education Principal Secretary Bellio Kipsang said the move is to ensure that all officers are available for the crucial exercise. “To ensure this exercise is carried out smoothly, you are hereby directed not to approve any requests for annual leaves by all officers until the end of the examination period,” said Dr Kipsang.
TESTS
The PS further said the administration of the examination will be more stringent than ever before. “You are therefore reminded to be vigilant in the monitoring of the examinations as per the guidelines and user manual issued by the Kenya National examinations Council," he said.
Practical examinations for Form Four will start on October 22 and end on November 1. Subjects to be examined include French (Oral and Braille), German (Oral), Arabic (Oral), Kenya Sign Language (Practical Signing Skills), Music (Practicals) and Home Science (Food and Nutrition). Written examinations will start on November 5 and run until the end of the month.
Knec acting chief executive officer Mercy Karogo asked those who will be involved in administration of the national examinations to redouble their efforts and ensure sustainability of the standards that have been set since 2016.
“More support will be required due to increase in candidature coupled with increase in the number of sub-counties and containers across the county,” said Dr Karogo.
The total number of candidates sitting KCPE examination this year are 1,060,759 in 27,161 examination centres while KCSE examination candidates are 664,586 in 10,078 centres.
The examination will be stored in 459 containers. Ministry of Education and Knec officials are visiting counties that are on the spot for planning to cheat, in order to have meetings with field officers.
Dr Kipsang has warned that schools which will be found cheating will see the whole exercise suspended, saying the government will not waste resources to mark examinations whose results will be cancelled.
