Anthony Kitimo
10 November 2009
Nairobi — Sixteen pupils of a private school in Mombasa did not join other candidates in this year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education after they were left out on account of not being registered for the exam.
The candidates and their parents of Vision of Hope Orphans Centre were shocked and decided to move to education officers in Changamwe to report the matter.
Ms Cypros Awino, one of the parents said the parents paid Sh600 for the registration on February this year and they were assured the candidates would sit for their exams.
"We paid Sh500 for the registration while Sh100 to facilitate other administrative costs during registration but were shocked to find out we were conned," said the parent.
Ms Awino said the proprietor of the school since has since refused to meet them.
Ms Maureen Akinyi, one of the candidates said she was so demoralised that she will have to look for another school to complete her studies.
"I repeated last year and because of this incident I will have to repeat for the third year in class eight next year since I have to complete my studies," said the distressed candidate.
The head teacher of the school Amos Musyoka said they were shocked to discover the candidates were registered using another school's examination code. Mr Musyoka said when was asked about the incident, the proprietor defended himself on the grounds that the registration fee was paid late.
"Parents paid registration fee on time but it seems the proprietor did not remit the money to the exam council on time," said the headteacher.
Mombasa Municipal Council Education Officer (MEO) Sylvester Mulambe said the school has never been registered and it was operating illegally. Mr Mulambe said his office has never registered such a school and he was going to close it.
"We have interrogated the proprietor of the school and we found out he has registered the school using other schools' codes which is an offence," said the MEO.
When contacted, the proprietor Juma Lubambo said he paid the money to the Kenya National Examinations Council account on time but he was shocked to find out that his school shared the same exam code with another private school.
"I have the receipts which prove that I paid Sh8,000 for the 16 candidates on March 31 but the code which I was given resembles one of the codes of a private school in Mombasa and I want KNEC to give an explanation," he said.
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