Withholding KCPE and KCSE certificates is unlawful; CS Ogamba warns school heads

Withholding KCPE and KCSE certificates is unlawful; CS Ogamba warns school heads

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has cautioned school principals against retaining the certificates of students who have completed the KCPE or KCSE examinations.

The CS stated that it is illegal under Kenyan law to withhold essential documents, regardless of the reasons given by the school administration.

“It is unlawful to keep a student’s certificate after they have finished school due to issues like unpaid fees, a lost book, or a broken window. I have instructed that all withheld certificates, some for over 10 years, must be released, and principals should find other ways to recover any outstanding fees,” Ogamba said during the launch of participants in the Huawei ICT competition.

He emphasized that the 14-day deadline for releasing the withheld documents is in effect, and appropriate actions will be taken if the documents are not returned to their rightful owners.

The CS noted that this directive applies to both public and private educational institutions and aligns with the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) Act of 2012.

Ogamba encouraged principals to explore alternative methods for recovering debts from students, including pursuing legal action in court.

This directive comes as the government plans to transfer the responsibility for school certificates from schools to education officers.