National Exam fees may rise as Knec seeks to raise Sh6 billion.
Candidates taking national exams may face higher fees as the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) seeks Sh6 billion to close a funding gap.
Knec estimates that it will need Sh50.6 billion over the next five years, compared to the expected allocation of Sh44.1 billion.
The council also identified major risks that could stymie its operations, such as a mass walkout of teachers who administer national exams.
Cheating, political interference, insufficient secretariat staff, and cyber insecurity are all listed as major threats to national examinations.
“Mitigation measures will include lobbying for more funds, diversify sources of funds… and reviewing of examination fees,” says the 2021-2026 Knec strategic plan to be unveiled today.
Even though the government pays the KCPE and KCSE examination fees for candidates, the exam council has listed other exams as one of the ways it will raise money to ensure the smooth delivery of its mandate.
This, however, means that candidates taking other Knec-administered exams may see their test fees increase.
Knec also offers tertiary level examinations such as Business, Technical, and Teacher Education Examinations in addition to KCPE and KCSE.
KNEC is required to provide educational assessments for Early Years Education, Middle School, and Senior School in accordance with the Competency-Based Curriculum.
However, the agency will continue to offer school examinations to students in the 8-4-4 educational system until 2023 for KCPE and 2027 for KCSE.
According to Chief Executive David Njengere, the strategic plan is in line with changes in government policies and the operating business environment.
“These changes include CBC, Medium Term Plan 3 and the National Education Sector Strategic Plan 2018-2022,” said Njengere.
The government spends Sh6,000 per student on KCSE and KCPE. The cost, on the other hand, varies according to the number and nature of subjects on which students are tested.
Knec, on the other hand, claims that government allocations have remained constant for the last two years, despite rising exam administration costs.
According to the council, one of its goals is to ensure a systematic and well-coordinated approach to expanding its resource base. The agency hopes to collaborate with other institutions and professional bodies that require fee-based examination and assessment services.
The Council also claims that it will make money by assessing and certifying prior learning. It will also print and sell mathematical tables internally, as well as feedback reports and past papers via an online platform.
Knec intends to create a strategy for utilizing excess capacity in commercial printing.
According to the council, it will require 147 additional employees, including top managers, middle management team members, and operational cadre workers. According to data analysis, the next five years will necessitate the hiring of 16 additional top executives.
Over the same time period, the agency will also require 105 middle-level managers and 26 operational cadre staff. Njengere stated that the council seeks to increase its capacity and improve service delivery as a result of increased candidature, population growth, competition, and curriculum changes.
National Exam fees may rise as Knec seeks to raise Sh6 billion