Parents Uproar After Merger Of Exam Centers In Bandit Prone Areas.
The merger of examination centers with fewer than 30 candidates by the Ministry of Education has sparked outrage in bandit-infested areas of the Rift Valley.
Parents are concerned about the safety of students who must walk several kilometers to nearby exam centers.
In accordance with the directive, candidates from over 200 primary and secondary schools will take their national exams in neighboring schools in April.
The new regulation was implemented after the High Court upheld the Kenya National Examination Council’s (KNEC) decision to merge the centers in order to improve security and address transportation issues.
Mr David Kago had challenged the decision on the grounds that there had been no public participation and that parents had not been consulted prior to the directive in July of last year. He was also unhappy with Knec’s decision to issue multiple, contradictory circulars on the merger between May and July of last year.
However, Justice Anthony Mrima dismissed the petition, citing the petitioner’s failure to challenge a circular issued in July last year, which he said was sufficient to provide guidelines on the merging of the centers.
Knec stated that the change would improve candidate and examiner safety, reduce rising administrative costs, and maintain test integrity.
Knec claimed that the merger was also influenced by a lack of police officers, prompting them to seek the assistance of National Youth Service (NYS) servicemen to provide security.
Parents at the affected schools, on the other hand, questioned how the ministry arrived at the decision to merge centers that are more than seven kilometers apart.
Candidates at Kosile Primary School in volatile Baringo North, for example, will now be forced to trek to the neighboring N’garatuko Primary School, more than eight kilometers away, to sit their KCPE exams.
Learning has been halted in the two schools, which have 24 and 16 students, respectively, due to the incessant attacks that resulted in the killing of a villager by armed criminals a fortnight ago.
The chairman was perplexed as to how students from Kosile Primary School would walk eight kilometers through deserted villages to the examination center.
According to National Parents Association chairperson Nicholas Maiyo, the planned merger should be accompanied by adequate security.
In Baringo, the eight candidates from Rormoch Primary School will take their exams at Yatya Primary, which has 20 candidates. Barketiew Primary students will be hosted by Bartabwa Primary, which is more than 10 kilometers away.
Candidates in the volatile Baringo South region will face similar difficulties.
The chairman was perplexed as to how students from Kosile Primary School would walk eight kilometers through deserted villages to the examination center.
According to National Parents Association chairperson Nicholas Maiyo, the planned merger should be accompanied by adequate security.
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In Baringo, the eight candidates from Rormoch Primary School will take their exams at Yatya Primary, which has 20 candidates. Barketiew Primary students will be hosted by Bartabwa Primary, which is more than 10 kilometers away.
Candidates in the volatile Baringo South region will face similar difficulties.
Schools affected by insecurity that will be hosted by other centers include Kapindasum, Arabal, Kasiela, Sinoni, Tuiyotich, Kapkechir Primary, and Tuiyotich Secondary.
More than 20 primary and secondary schools in Baringo North and South have been closed as a result of the violence that has resulted in the deaths of nine people.
Mr Judah Losutan, an elder from Nginyang’ in Tiaty West, expressed concern that the directive would cause several candidates in the region to miss national exams.
He stated that most schools in Tiaty are more than 30 kilometers away and that no parent would allow their children to walk such long distances.
Akwichatis, Toplen, Kositei, Katikit, Lokis, Nakoko, Chesakam, Riong’o, Komolion, and Chepkalacha are some of the schools in Tiaty Sub-County with low enrollment.
The government will conduct an operation in Tiaty West, where suspected bandits who attacked Tot Secondary students on Thursday night are believed to be hiding, according to Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Mohamed Maalim.
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Parents Uproar After Merger Of Exam Centers In Bandit Prone Areas
