MP Wandayi warns that 2023 KCSE exam results also risk being bungled

National Assembly Minority Leader James Opiyo Wandayi has expressed concern that the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam results might face similar challenges as the recently released Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam results.

His sentiments come a month after the release of the KCPE exam results, which were marred by discrepancies that the Ministry of Education has since attribute to transmission glitches. 

The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has come under fire for erroneously awarding some candidates wrong marks and assigning grades for subjects that the learners did not sit for.

Wandayi has now called on KNEC to swiftly address the issues that led to the mismanagement of the KCPE exam results, warning that failure to do so could result in an even more problematic release of the impending KCSE exams.

"I am afraid that if we do not handle the issues surrounding the bungling of the last KCPE and the results, we should be prepared for a similar or even worse thing in the impending release of KCSE results," said the Ugunja Member of Parliament.

Wandayi further argued that a recent Parliamentary committee session attended by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and officials from his ministry to respond to the discrepancies left lawmakers with more questions than answers.

"The Cabinet Secretary for Education alongside officers from his docket were in Parliament, and after lengthy deliberations, a lot more questions emerged. Instead of finding answers to the many questions that were lingering, he left a lot more questions," lamented Wandayi.

While expressing regret over the alleged existence of cartels within the Ministry of Education and KNEC, the legislator raised doubts about the credibility of the company awarded the contract for printing examination papers.

He also questioned the transparency of the tender awarding process, calling for a thorough investigation into the matter.

Addressing the ongoing protests related to Junior Secondary School teachers’ payment and employment, the lawmaker challenged the government to acknowledge the failure of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and consider alternative strategies.

He advocated for Junior Secondary Schools to be domiciled in secondary schools as was initially planned, citing the inadequate capacity of primary schools to host them effectively.