Kuppet wants government to increase pay for KCSE examiners
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) now wants the government to harmonize payment rates for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examiners to KES 100 per paper marked.
Currently, the markers take home different amounts of money depending on what marking subjects.
For instance, Christian Religious Education (CRE) subject assessors have only been receiving KES 55 per script compared to markers in other subjects who get between KES 60 and KES 70 per paper.
KUPPET officials on Thursday said the harmonization of pay will bring to an end years of protests among professionals undertaking the noble national exercise.
Led by Julius Korir, the union’s national vice chairperson, the officials made an impromptu visit at St Francis Girls High School-Mang’u, a KCSE marking center in Gatundu North, Kiambu County that was closed on Tuesday evening following protests by examiners.
The officials claimed Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has been contravening labour practices to underpay the evaluators.
Korir said that while the examiners are mandated to go through voluminous pieces of work, the government has continued to pay them peanuts.
He revealed that the assessors have been waking up as early as 4am and only put down their pens past 10 am, a situation that caused them untold suffering.
Ronald Tanui, the KUPPET’s national assistant treasurer urged KNEC to be consultative with other stakeholders to avert further crisis.
On his part, Edward Ombunja the national secretary in charge of secondary schools urged the government to consider paying the examiners who were sent home on Tuesday to enable them meet their obligations with ease.