Confusion and frustration have hit teachers across the country following system rejections and automated deployment recalls on the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) portal, leaving some Junior School (JS) teachers uncertain about their participation in the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
The affected teachers, primarily JS examiners who had initially been assigned to supervise or mark KJSEA examinations, have reportedly encountered conflicting administrative directives and restrictions while trying to access their deployment letters.
The situation has raised questions about the eligibility of JS teachers, the criteria used in allocating examination duties and how the assignments will be reconciled with their existing teaching and assessment responsibilities.
The problem is reportedly linked to validation processes within KNEC's Contracted Professionals deployment database, where discrepancies between Teachers Service Commission (TSC) records and KNEC profiles may have affected some teachers.
Some affected teachers say they received automated SMS notifications advising them to disregard previously issued online invitation letters following the cancellation or recall of their assignments. Others have reported difficulties downloading their authorisation letters from the portal, which has further complicated efforts to establish whether they are still expected to undertake examination duties.
The developments have also attracted criticism from teachers' unions, with the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) maintaining its position on the deployment of JS teachers.
Bomet KUPPET Chairman Emmanuel Ngeno termed the developments unfortunate, questioning the circumstances surrounding the deployment and subsequent rejection of the affected teachers.
"So unfortunate," Mr Ngeno said.
He indicated that KUPPET members had been advised by the union's national leadership not to participate in the examination duties, adding another dimension to the unfolding dispute.
The latest developments have left affected teachers in an uncertain position, particularly those who had already organised their schedules and made personal arrangements in anticipation of reporting for examination assignments.
The situation has also renewed debate over coordination between KNEC and TSC in the deployment of teachers for national examinations. Stakeholders are calling for clearer communication, effective coordination of teachers' records and accessible support channels so that teachers receive timely and consistent information about their assignments.
The reported system rejections have yet to receive a comprehensive official explanation from KNEC, and teachers are awaiting clarity on their status and the administrative decisions affecting their participation in the national examinations.
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