Secondary school teachers have intensified their calls for increased allowances to supervise the upcoming Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, which will commence on October 22, 2024.
Represented by the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), the educators are demanding a staggering increase of 600 to 800 percent in their out-of-workstation allowances.
In a letter addressed to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, Kuppet Secretary-General Akello Misori proposed raising the daily rate for invigilators to Kes. 3,000, a handsome rise from the current Kes. 400, representing a 650 percent increase.
The union also seeks to elevate the daily compensation for supervisors to Kes. 3,500, significantly up from their current rate of Kes. 450. Additionally, they request Kes. 4,500 per day for principals, who act as examination center managers during the exam period. This figure signifies an 800 percent increase from the current daily rate of Kes. 500 for principals.
Misori emphasized that their members would reject the existing remuneration structure during the upcoming examinations. He urged the Cabinet Secretary, responsible for the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) budget, to ensure the council compensates teachers in line with the Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual for the Public Service, which serves as the government’s benchmark.
“The low remuneration for examination management persists throughout the invigilation, supervision, and marking processes,” Misori stated.
He added that such inadequate compensation undermines Kenya’s standards for fair labor practices and adversely affects the morale of teachers, ultimately threatening the credibility of national examinations.
