Senators laud directive on held KCSE certificates

Senators have hailed the Government's directive to school heads to release certificates of Form Four leavers. They said the move will open up opportunities for the less privileged candidates.

The legislators, who had passed a Motion urging the Government to give a blanket waiver to candidates unable to clear their fees, argued it was unlawful for the head teachers to retain the documents and called for the prosecution of those involved.

They also called on the relevant state agencies to move with speed and apprehend head teachers who ignore the directive, stressing that the law states it is illegal to withhold the certificates.

Kitui Senator David Musila issued a personal statement hailing the Government's move and allayed fears that schools could face cash crisis if the certificates are released without heads demanding for fees clearance.

"In 2006, the former government of President Kibaki released even more certificates that had been held by schools following a Motion by the National Assembly and a High Court action. Similar claims were made that schools would not function but the Government did not pay the money and no school collapsed," said Musila.

However, Senate committee on Education Chairman Daniel Karaba differed with his colleagues and warned that releasing the certificates without payments will seriously affect the operations of schools.

"We are talking about Sh14 billion in arrears. How do we expect these schools to function without recovering their debts?" He posed, adding:

"Parents/guardians had committed to offsetting the fees balance and if this directive is effected to the letter, many schools will grind to a halt."

Karaba (Kirinyaga) urged the Government to establish why the monies have accumulated. He called on State to come up with modalities to offset the arrears instead of issuing a blanket directive.

Mutahi Kagwe (Nyeri) concurred with Karaba, saying many school heads might choose to ignore the directive until the balance is paid.

He thus petitioned the Government to come up with a mechanism to transfer the funds to the affected schools and a threshold of those that will be assisted.

But Minority Leader Moses Wetangula termed the decision to withhold certificates as criminal, noting that it affects the country's economy when the potential workforce is denied the chance to get meaningful employment.

"The certificates must be released as a matter of duty.

Many young people are jobless. They are also locked out of available opportunities due to lack of the vital document, just like in the case of the Monday Police recruitment exercise," he said.

Senator Mongare Bogonko (Nyamira) warned that school heads who defy the directive risk prosecution.

Senators Kimani Wamatangi (Kiambu), Chris Obure (Kisii), Lenny Kivuti (Embu), Stephen Sang (Nandi) and (nominated )Zipporah Kittony stressed that the move will relieve tension among parents and the candidates.