How Knec exam order could fuel school dropout

Toplen and Nakoko primary schools in Tiaty, Baringo are 20 kilometers apart with 15 and 12 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam candidates each.

If a Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) circular indicating primary or secondary schools with less than 40 candidates will be merged with another neighbouring school(s) is to be effected, candidates from these two schools, who are already forced to do more than 10 kilometers trek to schools, will now be forced to walk even longer distances.

Mr Judah Losutan, an elder from Nginyang’ in Tiaty West, said the directive will sabotage learning in the area and parents, who most are illiterate will withdraw their few children from school.

He indicated that most schools in Tiaty are more than 30kms away and there is no way a parent, who is even coaxed to take their children to school, would allow them to walk for such distances in the name of exams.

“A school like Toplen Primary School has less than 15 candidates and the neighbouring school, Nakoko Primary, which also has 12, is more than 20kms away. Are they expecting our children to walk all the way to sit for examination? Unless they tell us they want to sabotage learning in the pastoralist communities by giving such skewed directives,” said Mr Losutan.

Among schools in Tiaty Sub-County that have low enrolment include Akwichatis, Toplen, Kositei, Katikit, Lokis, Nakoko, Chesakam, Riong’o, Komolion and Chepkalacha among others.

Private schools

In the new directive released on June 11, 2021 addressed to all secondary and primary school heads and sub-county directors of education, all public or private schools with less than 40 candidates will be hosted by another neighbouring Centre with more than 40 candidates in the 2021 KCPE and KCSE examinations.

It also indicated that the host school should be located within the Sub-County where the hosted schools are and should be served from one distribution point.

“All Sub-County directors of education are informed to submit the list of the host and the hosted examination centers for the 2021 KCPE and KCSE examinations by August 15, 2021,” read the circular signed the acting chief executive officer Mercy Karogo.

In Baringo, parents and locals have complained that many schools especially in the pastoralist communities and banditry prone areas in the region cannot meet the set target of learners owing to the sparse population and retrogressive cultural practices that has greatly hampered enrolment of learners.

A spot check by the Nation revealed that most of the schools in the lower areas in Baringo North including Kagir, Yatya, Chemoe, Barketiew and Kamwetio Primary schools have less than 15 candidates each.

Among other schools that are also grappling with enrolment owing to incessant banditry attacks include  Baruyo, Kasiela, Sinoni, Arabal, Chemorong’ion,Mukutani, Noosukro, Kesumet, Loruk, Kosile, Barketiew and Kapturo.

They also cited distance as a major impediment to the directive since most learning institutions are several kilometers apart which would force learners to walk for long hours to get to the neighbouring school.

The situation is the same also in Tiaty Sub-County where enrolment and retention is a problem owing to retrogressive cultural practices and scarcity of schools, forcing learners to drop out due to long distances they have to cover to get to schools.

Jonathan Tokei, a professional from Baringo complained that the directive will not be applicable in the far flung villages where enrolment and retention is still a problem due to a myriad of challenges due to a myriad of challenges including the perennial insecurity menace.

He accused the examination council for issuing rules without involving the stakeholders including parents from the pastoralist regions that are still grappling with education.

Pastoralist communities

“Most of the pastoralist communities in Baringo County are still having challenges with enrolment, leave alone retention. Some schools are also several kilometers away, forcing leaners to walk for several distances. If this directive is effected, some pupils will have to trek for more than 10kms during the examination periods,” said Mr Tokei.

“That directive will not hold any water if they will not involve stakeholders. The government should understand the challenges of learners in the far flung areas first before issuing such rules. Some schools in this region have less than 100 learners, leave alone candidates,” he added.

Richard Chepchomei, a parent from the banditry prone Chemoe in Baringo North raised concern that some schools in the area have low population owing to the perennial insecurity menace that has forced some locals to flee to safer areas.

 “Most schools in this area have less than 100 learners, with schools being more than 10kms apart. How can you expect a pupil to walk to another neighbouring school, tens of kilometers away to sit for a national examination, not forgetting the insecurity challenges,” said Mr Chepchomei.

“Most schools here are manned by security officers day and night, then how can you expect the same learners to trek for several kilometers to the neighbouring in the presence of gun totting criminals,” he added.

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