The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Ogamba, has addressed growing concerns over delayed payments to professionals contracted to administer and mark the 2025 national examinations and assessments.
In a press statement, the Ministry acknowledged complaints raised by supervisors, invigilators, security personnel, examiners, and other contracted staff who participated in the national examinations process.
The Ministry attributed the delay in disbursement of allowances to budgetary and cash flow constraints affecting the release of funds.
According to the statement, the situation has impacted the timely processing of payments for the contracted professionals.
The minister noted that discussions with the National Treasury are ongoing as part of efforts to resolve the matter.
“ The Ministry, in collaboration with the National Treasury is actively working to resolve the matter and expedite the release of the requisite funds within the shortest time possible,” he stated.
He emphasized their commitment to maintaining the integrity and punctual conduct of national exams, describing their role as crucial in ensuring the examination calendar runs as planned.
He finally expressed his appreciation for the patience and professionalism demonstrated by the affected personnel during the delay. He reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding the timely payment of contracted professionals in future examination cycles.
This press comes at a time when exam professionals and supervisors had raised alarm over delayed payments after offering their services in the previously concluded Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) exams.
The officials argued that the delayed payments were a routine and they called for reforms in how the Kenya National Examinations Council manages its disbursement processes.
They also raised the issue of arrears from previous years, arguing that some payments of earlier years remained unsettled.
Additionally, some described the payment rates as inadequate compared to the workload, pressure, and responsibility involved in administering and marking national examinations.
They attributed the financial hardships they were going through to these issues and were calling for the immediate release of the funds.