The fate of almost 11,000 students who failed to sit 2021 KCPE exam is not yet known.
Most of the students were already registered but did not show up for the exam due to various reasons.
Regional Educational Learning Initiative raised concerns over policies that need to work on the retention of such learners.
The lobby urged the Ministry of Education to develop strategies to ensure compensation of the students.
Just like in universities where students can sit for special exam after missing the tests, the lobby called for such strategies in primary and secondary.
Zizi Afrique Foundation executive director John Mugo urged the ministry to benchmark the administration of supplementary exam in universities.
The recommendation was made to the early learning and basic education sub-sector, which is mandated to run the primary and secondary levels.
“Knec could rapidly examine their circumstances and provide a supplementary exam soon after the release of the results,” Mugo said.
The organisation's country lead Samuel Otieno said failure to sit national examinations should not be perceived as a normal occurrence.
Otieno said most students don’t choose to willingly miss exam and might have been faced with social challenges.
“These may include children who fell sick and perhaps even got hospitalised those that were affected by conflict and displacement," Otieno said.
"Maybe even girls who got married and gave birth and boys who may have been occupied by child labour.”
This comes even after senators asked education boss George Magoha to submit a list of students who missed national exam.
Usawa Agenda executive director Emmanuel Manyasa further said the ministry to track schools and regions that consistently underperform.
This, he said, would help the stakeholders identify areas that require more concentration and aid.
“Ensure adequate support for public schools which serve a greater share of learners from marginalised and disadvantaged communities,” Manyasa said.
Out of the 1,225,554 students registered for 2021 KCPE, a total of 1,214,031 sat the exam.
This year, 901 students sat their exam in prison while another 166 sat exam in hospital.
Nairobi county recorded the highest number of inmates sitting KCPE with 392 candidates.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
