The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) has devised a plan that it will use to curb mass walk out of examiners and to develop, administer and guard the credibility of tests over the next five years. The plan, according to KNEC, will also guide school assessments.
This came as Knec identified looming threats, weaknesses, and potential loopholes that may affect its operations.
In the plan, Knec has listed possible mass walkouts of teachers who participate in processing national examinations, continued examination cheating, political interference, inadequate secretariat staff, and cyber insecurity among its core concerns threatening national examinations.
Negative public perception, rapid technological change, natural calamities, examination-related litigation cases, and competition from other assessment bodies were also identified as potential weak links in the council’s operations.
Forgery of Knec certificates, nonresponsive or obsolete curricula in some courses, corruption, and unethical practices are also highlighted as looming threats to the administration of examinations.
These details are contained in its 2021-2026 Strategic Plan unveiled by Education CS George Magoha.
For timely and reliable feedback after exams, KNEC, in its strategic plan, recognised the key role of examiners and cited proper remuneration of key players in the examination process as one of the solutions of retaining trained examiners and restoring their interest in carrying out the process.
The assessment body has so far requested for funds from the treasury, to enable it give a better package to the examiners. This implies that payment rates per paper and out of pocket allowance are expected to increase beginning March this year.
This would certainly prevent examiners from quitting marking and better the examiners’ perceptions concerning KNEC
