By Roy Hezron
People who have lost their academic certificates can now apply online and pay using mobile phone money transfer platforms to obtain replacements.
The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has released new guidelines that will facilitate quicker replacement of lost or damaged certificates.
According to the guidelines released last month, the fee charged for each examination results certification letter will be Sh5,220 inclusive of VAT.
The money can be paid via M-Pesa through a unique pay bill number send to the applicant.
Initially, applicants were required to pay the fee through KNEC’s collection bank accounts.
In the new guidelines, the whole process of application has been moved online through the Querry Management Information Systems (QMIS) which will include uploading of the required documents and payments.
The applicant will only be required to visit KNEC offices to collect the processed certification letters upon receipt of an SMS alert.
In addition, the processing of the examination result certification has been reduced to 15 working days from 60, with no refunds in case an applicant fails to meet all the requirements.
Previously, an applicant who didn’t meet the requirements for issuance of examination results certification, but had paid for the service, was refunded the money upon presentation of original bank slips within 12 months from the date of deposit.
The required mandatory documents remain unchanged. They include copy of certificate(s) or result slip(s), letter of recommendation addressed to CEO KNEC from the head teacher of the school attended or from sub-county director, or County Director of Education for private candidates and candidates whose schools have closed down or changed status, and police abstract indicating loss of certificate(s).
Other documents are a sworn legal affidavit on certificate loss, copy of National ID or Passport or birth Certificate for those under 18 years of age with a copy of National ID for at least one parent or official guardian.
Others are a confirmation from the registrar of persons on the identity of the applicant which must be obtained and submitted to the council at the point of application, one coloured passport photograph, and, where applicable, a letter of recommendation addressed to KNEC from employer.
The name on the National ID, passport or birth certificate must match the one used during the examination and applicants who have changed their name legally must attach the legal documents used to change the name, such as a marriage certificate for women, or the copy of Kenya Gazette in which the change of name appears. A sworn affidavit will not be accepted.
The certification letter will be required to be collected within two years from the date of application. Those which will not have been collected will be destroyed with no further communication or refund.
