• 2021 KCPE exams be written between March 7 and March 10 while KCSE will be conducted between March 11 to April 1.
• Those currently in Class 7 and Form 3 will sit their KCPE, KCSE examinations between November and December 2022.
Image: MERCY MUMO
Schools on Monday began reopening for the Third Term that also serves as the homestretch to the KCPE, KCSE examination set to commence in March.
The term is set to run for nine weeks to March 4 with no midterm break; and will sit as the shortest term yet.
The revised academic calendar released in 2019 spells that the 2021 KCPE exams be written between March 7 and March 10, while KCSE will be conducted between March 11 to April 1.
These will also be the last KCPE and KCSE examinations done outside the traditional November-December period as the school calendar normalises.
Those in Class 7 and Form 3 will sit their national examinations between November and December 2022.
KCPE will run between November 28 and December 1, while KCSE will be done from December 1 to December 23.
Education CS George Magoha last week said 2022 will pose a test to the education sector in ensuring the safety of national examinations.
“This coming year shall test whether the transformation we have done at Kenya National Examination Council is sustainable or not,” Magoha said while launching KNEC’s strategic framework 2021-26.
“Instead of having the two normal exams (KCPE and KCSE), we are going to have five examinations,” he said.
Indimuli Kahi, the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association, said most schools have already completed syllabus coverage for the finalist classes.
He added that the period will allow for adequate preparedness and polishing of the students for their KCPE, KCSE exams.
FEES HEADACHE
However, as the reopening takes course, parents once again are blaming school administrators for imposing fees not approved by the government.
Kenya Parents Association chairman Nicholas Maiyo raised concern over defiant principals who have failed to honour the school fees guidelines issued by the Education ministry.
In particular, Maiyo raised concern over some institutions defying directives to lower school fees due to the short nature of the academic year.
"We are in talks with the Education ministry to help enforce the directive and beginning tomorrow, we will be forwarding the names of those who are going against the directive," Maiyo told the Star on Sunday.
The review on fees was prompted by harsh economic times as parents were faced with the burden of paying school fees for four terms.
Parents paid school fees when schools opened for second term in January 2021 after a nine-month break, in May for the third term, then July for first term 2021 and in October when the second term begun.
They are now required to pay again starting tomorrow for the third term.
To cushion parents, the Education ministry last August reduced the fees charged by boarding schools owing to the shortened period learners were to spend at school.
Parents with children in Category A secondary schools (national and extra-county schools located in the towns of Nairobi, Mombasa, Nairobi, Kisumu, Nyeri, Thika and Eldoret) in the new fee guidelines were to pay Sh45,000, down from Sh53,554.
The fees for Category B schools (all other boarding schools, including extra-county not located in the towns named above) was Sh35,000, down from Sh40,535.
However, concern remained on the lack of enforcement leading to school heads defying the directive.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)