Teachers’ Pay Dispute jeopardize to Stop Exams.
Due to alleged abuse by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has called on teachers to boycott this year’s national assessments and examinations, threatening to cause disruptions.
According to KUPPET National Chairperson Omboko Milemba, the union will instruct teachers not to take part in exam monitoring and marking until their complaints are resolved.
In an interview with NTV on Tuesday, March 24, Milemba charged KNEC with consistently underpaying instructors who assist in delivering national exams.
He noted that examiners are sometimes paid as little as Ksh30 per script, an amount he described as exploitative and unsustainable given the rising cost of living.
According to him, the situation has left many teachers struggling financially despite playing a critical role in the country’s education system.
He further raised concerns over delayed payments, claiming that some examiners who marked the 2025 national exams are yet to receive their dues months later. He said the delays have become a recurring issue, eroding trust between teachers and the examination council.
“KNEC is underpaying examiners. Sometimes it even pays Ksh30 per script, making them live in very unbearable conditions. Could you imagine that the examiners did the marking towards the end of last year, yet they have not been paid?” Omboko said.
Adding that, “I want to tell our teachers to build the resilience of standing for their rights. I want to tell them that, coming this year, when KNEC calls for them to go and mark, they should not go. We want KNEC to call for a meeting so that we can have an MoU on how this is going to go.”
In addition, Milemba called for a comprehensive audit of funds allocated to the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), questioning how billions of shillings are utilised.
He suggested that consolidating bursary funds and streamlining expenditure could help address financial gaps, including the estimated Ksh2.5 billion required monthly to absorb 44,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
Meanwhile, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba recently acknowledged the delayed payments affecting examiners, invigilators, and supervisors involved in the 2025 national examinations.
The ministry attributed the delays to budgetary and cash flow constraints, noting that discussions with the Treasury are ongoing to expedite the release of funds and resolve the issue.
The dispute comes after widespread complaints from professionals who participated in the marking and administration of key national exams, including the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
Teachers’ Pay Dispute Jeopardizes Stopping Exams.
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