Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has called for the cancellation of the 2016 KCSE results.
The teachers’ body says that after several days of investigations and consultation with examiners deployed to administer and mark the examinations, it is convinced that due process was not followed in marking and releasing of the 2016 results.
“We were shocked at the curve. It is not a normal curve. So we launched investigations as a union and we have consulted widely, even inside government, and the narrative is the same – that these results are not a true reflection of the candidates’ performance,” said Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion.
“We hereby, honestly and in the spirit of patriotism to the country demand immediate recall of KCSE results and be taken through a due process of moderation and grading appropriately by chief examiners at the subject level,” reads a letter to the Clerk of the National Assembly Justin Bundi and JM Nyegenye of the Senate.
“Teachers are not happy, children are not happy and parents are not happy. No one wants free marks. But we insist on the right process that is fair and transparent. We cannot celebrate an individual yet a generation is buried. We will seek alternative ways if we cannot be listened to,” said Sossion.
n the letter dated January 5, Knut also demands “an immediate thorough and comprehensive forensic audit of marking and processing of KCSE examinations”. “We have taken our time to interrogate the professional process of marking, a practice that Knec has engaged in for many years,” said Sossion.
The union argues that the examinations were not moderated during marking, claims the marking scheme was not discussed and adopted by the examiners and faults the rush of releasing results of the high stakes examinations.
“This and many others are scaring findings that Knut has unearthed and this borders condemnation of the lives of thousands of children of this country unjustly and unfairly,” reads the letter.
The letter is copied to the Office of the President through Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua, the Deputy President’s office through Chief of Staff Ken Osinde, Matiang’i and Prof George Magoha of Knec.
