Economy

Teachers’ employer halts staff leave ahead of national examinations

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Teachers Service Commission chief executive Nancy Macharia. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The teachers’ employer has cancelled leave for all its staff as preparation for national examinations enters the homestretch.

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) said 179,149 teachers would be involved in the administration of the exams.

The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) is scheduled to start on October 29 and run for three days while the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) is set to take place from November 4 to November 27.

“I wish to announce that the commission has cancelled all forms of leave for its staff starting today,” TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia said Monday.

She said the plan is to have all officers return to their work station to scale up planning and preparation for the start of the national examinations.

A total of 1.8 million candidates are expected to sit KCPE in 27,809 centres while another 699,746 candidates will sit the KCSE in 10,896 centres.

The Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) said it had delivered to the centres examination stationery including time tables an attendance registers.

Some 479-strong metallic containers will be used for storage of examination papers and will serve as distribution centres in 338 sub-counties.

During the briefing, county commissioners were issued with security padlocks for the containers.

“The key has been given to the county commissioner and they are personally responsible for it,” said Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i at the event also attended by his Education counterpart George Magoha.

Dr Matiang’i said challenges arising during the examination period would be addressed in real-time as the government had provided adequate resources.

“This year we even have more resources including new aircraft, meaning we will be moving around without any problem,” he said.

Dr Matiang’i said he would be on duty throughout the examination period to ensure that exercise runs smoothly.