MPs Criticize KNEC’s Unjust Practice of Charging for KCPE and KCSE Exam Result SMS
Members of the National Assembly Education Committee, led by Chairperson Julius Melly (Tinderet MP), expressed concern on Wednesday about the Kenya National Examination Council’s (KNEC) practice of charging for text messages used to check candidates’ exam results for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
The chair of the committee said that charging parents for results was inappropriate, especially in these difficult economic times. Previously, parents had difficulty getting the findings since the platform had malfunctioned.
Taking into account the challenging economic conditions, Melly commented that the fees pose an additional burden on already overburdened and struggling Kenyan parents.
He was speaking to KNEC CEO David Njeng’ere, Basic Education PS Dr. Belio Kipsang, and other high-ranking council officials who had been before the committee.
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Njeng’ere revealed that the revenue generated from premium-charged SMS is divided among mobile network operators, SMS service providers, and KNEC. He further explained that the funds are disclosed in KNEC’s Annual Accounts and are divided in an 80:20 ratio between the council and the service provider.
PS Kipsang, on the other hand, defended the SMS price by pointing out that the same results are available for free on the school web.
However, the PS stated that many Kenyans prefer SMS because of its quickness and timeliness.
Despite the explanation, MPs expressed dissatisfaction and called for further investigation into the charges before presenting them to the committee.
ALSO READ: KNEC Addresses 133 Cases On 2023 KCPE Results
Following an uproar from parents, students, and leaders, lawmakers quizzed education officials about the results of the 2023 KCPE. The MPs demanded to know how kids could achieve equal grades in a single topic.
The PS, on the other hand, denied the charges, claiming that the results displayed on social media were not the same as those in the aforementioned schools.
Kipsang confirmed that they had conducted investigations and that the pupils did not receive the same grades as advertised online.
The PS stated that they would present everything that might have caused an uproar when they appear before the committee at Parliament on Thursday.
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MPs Criticize KNEC’s Unjust Practice of Charging for KCPE and KCSE Exam Result SMS
