EDUCATION CABINET SECRETARY JULIUS MIGOS DIRECTIVE TO SCHOOLS

Education cabinet secretary Julius Migos has issued a directive to school heads to withdraw the Kenya National Examination Council Certificates. This directive applies to both the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education and thos for primary education.

Speaking on March 17,2025 at the Ministry of Education Headquarters  Jogoo House, Migos instructed county education directors to submit a status update within 14 days on compliance with the directive. He emphasized that no student was to be denied their certificates after having successfully completed their studies due to financial restraints.

“We have received reports from various quarters that some schools are withholding the Kenya National Examinations Council certificates from candidates who sat  for the examinations in their institutions. Some of these certificates are being withheld due to unpaid school fees,” Migos said

“The law does not allow anyone to withhold certificates. Certificates should be issued to the respective students unconditionally,” the Cabinet Secretary said.

“Any school holding certificates must release them now. Schools still holding certificates should be reported and education directors must give me a progressive report within 14 days,” Migos directed.

“Section 10(1)b of the Kenya National Examinations Council Act 2012, prohibits institutions or persons from withholding KNEC certificates and diplomas from the candidates. All candidates by law are entitled to their certificates upon release of their results, when the certificates are delivered to respective schools,” he added

For many years the withholding of certificates has been an issue in the country and despite the various directives taken by the government to curb that issue. School heads have continued to defy the directives. In July 2014, the then deputy president William Samoei Ruto had warned school heads against withholding certificates terming it as an illegal act.

Teachers Service Commission issued warnings to school principals against withholding the Kenya Certificate of Secondary education (KCSE) terming it as being against the Kenya National Examinations Act and that principals found withholding certificates would face the consequences without support from the commission. Similarly, members of parliament have also been vocal about the issue. Manyatta member of parliament, John Gitonga ,urged president William Ruto to issue a directive compelling school heads to release certificates.

On the other hand, school heads expressed their concerns saying that releasing the certificates would not bound parents to pay fees making the schools face financial difficulties. However, the directive has greatly affected students particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds as they are unable to come up with the fees hence cannot pursue further education or apply for jobs. The Cabinet secretary however, encouraged parents and students to report school heads who still hold  certificates stating that the government had disbursed 14 billion Kenya shillings to secondary schools to clear outstanding capitation for the first term.

While schools are crying foul and only received a drop in the ocean which makes normal learning very hard and yet free balances are huge.