The government through the Ministry of Education has banned all mocks and joint examinations in their jurisdiction.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang stated that this exams will interfere with the school calendar.
In a Circular dated July 6, 2023, Dr. Kipsang has directed all County and Sub-County Directors of Education to ensure that the directive is fully enforced in schools within their jurisdiction and further take corrective measures to stop any occurrence.
“As you are aware, the Parliamentary Committee on Education chaired by Hon. David Koech and the Special Investigation Team chaired by Claire Omollo on school unrest both recommended the ban on all joint Inter School Examinations. The Ministry thereafter issued circulars to that effect,” said Dr. Kipsang in the Circular.
“These circulars are still in force and all schools are advised to desist from holding any inter-school examinations as this will interfere with the school calendar. The purpose of this circular is to ask you to bring this to the attention of all schools within your jurisdiction and take corrective measures to stop any occurrence,” he added in the Circular which was copied to the Education Cabinet Secretary, Teachers Service Commission Secretary, and all Regional Directors of Education.
In August 2008 the Ministry of Education in a Circular dated August 18, 2008, issued interim guidelines banning centralized mock examinations notably the famous Provincial and District mock examination from the schools’ academic calendar with immediate effect.
However, the then Permanent Secretary Prof. Karega Mutahi instead directed that schools may have joint Continuous Assessment tests (C.A.Ts) between schools on either bilateral or multilateral arrangements provided that they are not mock examinations and no special payment is supposed to be charged to students, and further banned schools from buying and using any commercial examinations for CATs.
The ministry to the then PS encouraged joint CATs at all levels to demystify school-based examinations and encouraged internal examinations which are conducted regularly in classes from forms one to four, directing further that any CAT must be administered and marked by the teacher who teaches the class adding that accumulated results of all such CATs should form part of the end of term results for all the students.
According to the ministry, school strikes had been leading to increased tension in schools, particularly in boarding institutions. These strikes were motivated by a variety of challenges faced by students, as well as their demands for better conditions.
By Roy Hezron
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