MPs have summoned Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu to explain the numerous complaints and claims of irregularities in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams.
In an adjournment motion passed on Wednesday night, lawmakers demanded that Mr Machogu explain the irregularities and rein in officials from both the ministry and the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec), whom they labelled rogue for tampering with exam results.
During debate on the motion sponsored by Manyatta MP John Mukunji, some MPs called for an overhaul of Knec, while others demanded a remark on the exams.
The MPs expressed concern about the hurried manner in which the results were released, questioning the process of marking the papers and verifying the results. Mr Machogu is scheduled to appear before the National Assembly Committee on Education on Thursday.
The results, according to Buuri MP Rindiki Mugambi, were shocking and indicated a rushed process.
“Knec must be held accountable. Knec did not provide guidelines on when the exams are supposed to be released and we wonder why there was a rush to release the results,” he added.
According to West Mugirango MP Stephen Mogaka, the exams should be remarked so that pupils receive their correct marks.
“If we were able to stop learning in our schools during Covid-19, then let’s order for remarking of these examinations by independent Knec officials and give our children the correct marks,” Mr Mogaka said.
Igembe North Julius Taitamu called the KCPE results a sham and demanded that the Knec CEO take responsibility for the mess.
The lawmakers also questioned how schools had candidates with the same marks for a specific subject while others received marks for subjects that were not offered at their respective schools.
The MPs also want to know what caused a hiccup at Safaricom, which resulted in delays in posting results. They want parents who sent multiple SMSs in panic due to the delay in the release of the results and were charged Sh25 to be reimbursed, and the telco to declare the abnormal profit it made at the time.
“Safaricom must tell us who it procured to offer the service. Was it a third party and what happens to those who were overcharged by sending multiple SMS? They must be refunded,” said Kirinyaga woman representative Njeri Maina.
The High Court declined on Wednesday to halt the Form One selection process pending the hearing and resolution of cases challenging the validity of the recently released KCPE results.
Mr Benjamin Magare, a Nakuru-based doctor, and two parents filed the cases on behalf of their children.
