Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has issued a strong warning to secondary school principals who withhold academic certificates from students who have completed their national examinations.
Speaking in Arimi, Molo Constituency during the burial of six victims of a recent road accident, Kindiki said the practice violates a presidential directive and must end immediately.
“It is not an option; we are not requesting you. We are directing all heads of institutions to release certificates for the children of Kenya. Then we can follow up on the issue of payments separately. Hakuna mahali hakuna pending bills (There is no place without pending bills). I speak on behalf of the president and government, principals, let’s not play monkey games,” said the Deputy President.
Kindiki criticised school heads for using fee arrears as grounds to withhold the documents, questioning the benefit to institutions. He assured that the government would handle the issue of outstanding payments separately and urged parents and guardians to report non-compliant principals.
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“Parents, if a principal refuses to give you a certificate, report to your assistant chief. You cannot punish a student who has finished school,” he added.
This directive echoes similar instructions from Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, who reminded school heads last month that it is illegal to withhold certificates from students who have sat their exams.
Ogamba emphasised that financial hardship should not prevent students from accessing their academic documents.
He directed county education directors to submit a report on the status of all withheld KCPE and KCSE certificates within 14 days and warned of firm action against school heads who fail to comply.
Withholding academic certificates has been a long-standing challenge in the Kenyan education system.
By Joseph Mambili
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