The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) called for a review of the marking process and laws of national examinations as they cited three issues that need to be addressed.
Speaking during an interview on Wednesday, January 11, KUPPET Secretary General, Akello Misori expressed that the examiners were living like prisoners.
He stated that the living conditions at the marking centers were among the issues that led their members to down their tools at St Francis Mang’u Girls High School.
“Do you know that in the marking center, even the prisoners are better off? Once they got to those centers nobody was allowed to leave. You cannot even visit anyone.
“Marking of exams is a matter of life and death for the government and that has affected teachers,” he stated.
Further, Missouri indicated that the pay for examiners needed to be reviewed given that the government was using a model developed in 1987.
“They are still being paid Ksh150 per day. That money cannot even buy you a soda when you get out of the centers. Why should they be paid such an amount of money yet they are determining the future of so many children,” he stated.
He also called on the Ministry of Education to respect the disgruntled teachers noting that some of their members were teargassed after downing their tools.
Missouri, however, urged his colleagues to return to duty explaining that they had already committed themselves to a contract.
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He stated that new terms and conditions would be discussed before the next marking exercise scheduled for later this year.
On its part, the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) in a statement on Tuesday, January 10, revealed that they would engage other examiners if the disgruntled teachers failed to return to work.
This was after CRE examiners downed their tools at the St Francis Mang’u Girls High School over poor working conditions.
KCSE results are set to be released before schools reopen on January 23.
