Decade-Old KCSE Certificates Gathering Dust: Kwale County Reports 43,223 Uncollected.
43,223 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificates are yet to be collected in Kwale County, says County Director of Education (CDE) Mr. Ahmed Abdi.
The certificates, some dating back more than 10 years, are yet to be picked by former students despite being a requirement for entry into higher education institutions and employment opportunities in both public and private sectors.
Mr. Abdi said the accumulation of uncollected certificates has caused challenges to schools which are forced to store the documents physically. He noted that sensitisation on timely collection has been inadequate, hence the backlog.
“The unclaimed certificates date back 10 years and are gathering dust in schools,” Mr. Abdi said, adding “we are reminding all that the uncollected national examination certificates are available for collection and one only needs to identify himself or herself.”
The CDE confirmed that some schools have recently accelerated the process of issuing certificates recognising their importance for further education and employment. However, he faulted former candidates who have failed to collect their certificates, saying lack of interest and in some cases reluctance by students who did not perform well.
“Form Four certificates open doors for students to further their education and seek employment opportunities. Lack of a certificate can also lead to denial of promotions at work and disqualification during job interviews,” Mr. Abdi said.
Some of the schools affected by uncollected certificates include Kwale High School, Matuga Girls’ National School, Kaya Tiwi High School, Kwale Girls, Waa Girls, Lunga Lunga Secondary School, Mwavumbo Secondary School, Ramisi High School among others.
Mr. Abdi further said the Ministry of Education prohibits withholding of academic certificates for unpaid school fees or any other reason, saying institutions are legally obliged to release certificates to all students who complete their studies.
He said education officials and school heads are working with chiefs and assistant chiefs to trace former candidates and facilitate collection of the certificates.
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The Ministry of Education has announced that plans are in place to move the issuance of KCSE certificates from schools to sub-county directors of education offices. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Oganga told Parliament that this is to address the persistent reports of principals defying government directives on not to withhold certificates.
MPs have in recent times been demanding the government to enforce compliance by school heads and ensure no student is denied access to their certificates due to unpaid fees.
Decade-Old KCSE Certificates Gathering Dust: Kwale County Reports 43,223 Uncollected.
