Concern as 43,000 KCSE certificates remain uncollected in Kwale

A total of 43,223 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificates remain uncollected in Kwale county.

Secondary school certificates are crucial for students’ futures, acting as a prerequisite for higher education and certain jobs, particularly in the public and private sectors. 

The KCSE examination qualifications enable further specialisation and career development, can open doors to diploma and degree programmes, and are increasingly a benchmark for various career paths.

In the past, parents and former students blamed schools for withholding the academic papers over fees arrears despite the Ministry of Education directives that institutions release certificates to students who have completed their studies regardless of unpaid fees.

County Director of Education (CDE) Ahmed Abdi has revealed that thousands of high school certificates belonging to past KCSE candidates remain uncollected as they were never picked up.

He disclosed that the certificates of previous high school graduates are waiting for collection, prompting education officials to send out an appeal on those who failed to retrieve their certificates.

The CDE attributed the reason why certificates are left to pile up uncollected in schools to lack of sensitisation regarding their timely availability.

Abdi said this also creates problems for the schools, which are now saddled with the responsibility of managing piles of papers and the challenges associated with physical record-keeping.

“The unclaimed certificates date as far back as 10 years and are gathering dust in schools,” Abdi said in an interview in his office.

“We are kindly reminding all that the uncollected national examination certificates are still available for pick up, and one only needs to identify himself or herself.”

However, he said in recent times, quite a number of schools have begun to speed up the process of issuing the certificates to their owners, noting that they are a mandatory requirement by higher learning institutions and potential employers.

The senior education official also blamed the students for not taking a keen interest in collecting the certificates they spent a lot of resources and time pursuing.

Abdi decried the scenario where, in the past, some form four candidates who performed poorly failed to collect their certificates, noting that all are entitled to their certificates regardless of their performance.

 Some of the schools worst affected include Kwale High and Matuga Girls' national schools, Kaya Tiwi High, Kwale Girls, Waa Girls, Lunga Lunga Secondary, Mwavumbo Secondary and Ramisi High, among others.

“We are alarmed by this development because Form Four certificates often open doors for students to further their education and seek employment opportunities,” he said.

He noted that lack of a certificate could also lead to promotion denials at places of work and job denials during interviews.

CDE Abdi said education officials and school heads are working with chiefs and their assistants to trace the concerned parties to enable them collect their physical certificate.

Abdi said the Ministry of Education prohibits the withholding of academic certificates for unpaid fees or whatever other reason, hence schools are obligated to release them unconditionally.

He said that schools have no right to withhold certificates of students who have completed exams, noting that the practice is illegal and against the law.

Recently, the Ministry of Education revealed that plans are afoot to have KCSE exam certificates picked from subcounty directors of education offices rather than schools.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba recently told Parliament that he wants the issuance of KCSE certificates removed from schools after it emerged that principals defy directives not to withhold the papers.

This development comes amid growing pressure from MPs for the government to compel school principals to release certificates being withheld over unpaid school fees.