School Unrest: Indiscipline KCSE students to sit exams outside school

The Ministry of Education, (MoE) has announced that the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education candidates found culpable of criminal behavior, including destroying school property will be barred from sitting their examinations within the school compounds.

The Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said that such students will be required to take their exams at designated centres outside their current institutions.

“Students involved in burning building or vandalism will not be allowed to remain in school as if nothing happened. If they are candidates, they will sit their exams from alternative centers, and they are Form two or three, they will be required to learn from home,” CS Ogamba said.

Ogamba speaking in the wake of students’ unrest that has forced the closure of several schools and resulted to the destruction of property worth millions of shillings, saying that the ministry will not sit pretty as the indiscipline cases reduce learning institutions into an environment of lawlessness.

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“School rules must be adhered to. Parents and students must participate in disciplinary hearings, and agreements must be reached. Education cannot thrive in an environment of lawlessness,” Ogamba said.

However, he emphasized that the ministry is committed to due process before any expulsion is done by the school, maintaining that disciplinary process must be followed.

Basic Education Principal Secretary, Prof Bitok echoed CS Ogamba’s sentiments, saying that the offenders will face tough disciplinary actions.

“We have given firm instructions to county and sub county directors of education to remain vigilant. If they suspect a school is at risk of unrest, they must react quickly by convening meetings with teachers and students to prevent destruction of property,” Bitok said.

He further appealed to parents, teachers, and religious leaders to work together to stem the unrests which has left many schools on the verge of collapse.

By Juma Ndigo