DP Kithure Kindiki issues stern warning to School Principals.

DP Kithure Kindiki’s stern warning to School Principals.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has issued a stern warning to principals who are still holding on ad refusing to release the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) examination certificates to students because of school fee arrears. The DP indicated that such Principals risk losing their jobs.

Speaking in Nakuru on Thursday, May 15, the DP urged parents to report any “stubborn” head of an institution who refuses to release the certificate to the assistant chief for action to be taken.

“There are so many schools that have refused to release certificates to students who finished their national examinations. I want to warn that principals who continue defying government directives are risking their jobs,” he said.

The DP said that after a principal releases a certificate, the government will follow up and develop a mechanism to ensure that the fee balance is sorted.

“All heads of institutions must release certificates for all the children of Kenya, and then after that, we will sort out other fee-related issues. It is not a joke, I know the minister has already said, but I’m saying this as the deputy president because we are not requesting you, we are directing,” he said.

“I’m speaking on behalf of the president and the government, please, principals, let us not play monkey games. I would like to tell parents to report any principal who refuses to issue these certificates to the assistant chief,” he said.

According to the government, withholding certificates from students is unlawful, and a principal is at risk of facing legal repercussions.

Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, in a statement on Monday, April 14, said denying students the document undermines the country’s education system.

“Denying any student access to their academic credentials undermines the very foundation of our education system and compromises the rights of the child. The government will not tolerate this continued impunity, and stern actions will be taken against schools that continue to defy this directive,” he stated.

Speaking on Monday, March 17, the Education CS, Julius Ogamba, revealed the government’s plan to ensure that students collect their certificates from sub-county education offices rather than their former schools.

Ogamba further announced a crackdown on heads of institutions withholding national examination certificates from students.

“The other day, I issued a directive that teachers holding certificates should release them to all the students, and I gave a deadline, and the deadline has already passed, so from next week, we will be taking action against teachers who are still withholding the certificates,” he said.

Despite the stern warning from the Government, schools are still holding on to the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE, Exams’ certificates.

A parent who sought anonymity narrated to this reporter how a school Principal is holding her girls’ KCSE Certificate; dimming her hopes of securing a job.

“I have visited the school three times in a row to collect my daughter’s certificate. Unfortunately, the Principal wants me to clear a fee balance of Ksh6,500 and which I don’t have at the moment”. Said the parent.

According to the parent, her daughter sat the KCSE 2024 exams and scored a C- (minus). The single parent has approached a good Samaritan who is willing to assist the girl with College sponsorship.

The parent went on to say that her pleas, to be given even photocopies of the Certificates, fell on deaf ears.