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County education boss stops circulation of exam papers with politician’s name

By RUTH MBULA October 13th, 2016 2 min read

The Director of Education in Kisii County, William Sugut, has ordered head teachers of schools in Gucha to immediately stop the circulation of exams bearing the name of a parliamentary aspirant as the Ministry of Education moved to stamp its authority on tests done by learners.

He said they had been made aware of the mock exam with Mr Sylvanus Osoro’s name, a South Mugirango constituency aspirant.

“We are shocked to hear that the exams are still being circulated despite our earlier order,” said Mr Sugut, who revealed that they had given firm instructions to stop the circulation.

When the Nation visited Nyandiwa SDA Primary School, one of the schools in the constituency, Standard Eight pupils were sitting for Mr Osoro’s mock exam.

Mr Calvin Onyiego, a Social Studies teacher in the school, said they were happy that pupils got free examinations from the aspirant.

BOOSTED EDUCATION

“But his name should not have been on the exam papers,” said Mr Onyiego.

Neither the school head teacher nor his deputy were at the school at the time we visited.

“They are out on official matters,” said the teacher.

Mr Onyiego said parents in the school celebrated the move by the aspiring MP as they had been offloaded the burden of paying for exams.

“It is also good because this is a good example to the children who have since learnt that when in leadership, it is good to give back to the community,” he said.

He added that pupils from a poor background had benefited most from the initiative.

“We were told that his aim was assisting the pupils. But the only problem is that his name was printed on the exams,” said the Social Studies teacher.

He added that the move by the aspirant was a challenge to other political leaders to support education in the region.

Mr Moses Bichanga who teaches Science said the exams had greatly boosted education in the area.

MOCK EXAMINATIONS

“But as professional teachers, we are only questioning why his name was printed on the exams,” he said.

Mr Josphat Monda, a resident of South Migirango, said it is not good for exams to bear politician’s names or pictures.

“It is good for them to sponsor our children with exams, but the issue should not be politicized,” he said.

On Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i cancelled Siaya’s mock examinations that had been sponsored by the county government.

Mr Matiang’i also summoned the County Director of Education and dissolved the County Education Board.

The examinations, printed at a cost of Sh1.7 million, stirred public anger for bearing a conspicuous portrait of Governor Cornel Rasanga on the top right side of the cover paper.

Mr Matiang’i said the mock exams flout the country’s education policy.