KCSE news- Have you been struggling to get your Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) documents from your former secondary school? Many people are undergoing trauma for failing to get their documents from rogue principals who demand for full fees clearance before releasing them. But, here is an insight of what you need to do. Not only KNEC related problems that can be solved, you can equally get assistance on Helb and TSC related problems. See how to go about it.
“I hereby wish to inform your highly esteemed office that after your intervention, the documents were released…May you continue serving Kenyans with the same zeal,” these were the words of Ms. Susan Njeri following the release of her daughter’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results slip and certificate by a secondary school.
According to Ms. Njeri, her daughter attended Graceland Girls School in Kieni East, Nyeri County, and sat for her KCSE in 2012. However, the school refused to release the results slip and the KCSE certificate on grounds that she had not cleared fee arrears. The school, according to her, had purported to offer sponsorship to students but during the final year of her daughter’s study reneged and demanded that the parents should pay school fees.
Determined to have her daughter pursue higher education, Ms. Njeri pleaded with the principal of the school to release the documents on an understanding that she would clear the fee arrears in installments but her request was declined. This pushed her to make a follow up with the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) and the Ministry of Education but eight years later she did not get any assistance, a matter that caused untold suffering to the daughter as she could not pursue college education. The unresponsiveness by the institutions prompted her to lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman Commission (The Commission on Administrative Justice) in August 2020.
See also; How to replace a lost KNEC Certificate; Procedure for KCSE, KCPE certificate replacement
The Commission by a way of inquiry took up the issue with the Principal Secretary, State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education leading to the release of the documents. The Department through a letter to the Commission on 12th February 2021 confirmed the release of the documents.
“This is to inform you that the matter has been resolved and the certificate that has been withheld has already been released to the complainant. Copies of the KCSE certificate and the transcript together with the complainant’s personal identification card have been attached for your record purposes,” read the letter from the Department.
More help
In yet another case of timely help, a Kenyan citizen who has been making information requests to government agencies has applauded the Commission’s efforts in enabling him access information.
Walter had made information requests to the Higher Education Loans Board and challenged the decision to charge Ksh1,000 non-beneficiaries of its loans whenever they apply for clearance certificates. This requirement was later dropped.
Similarly, he applied for information from the Kenya National Examinations Council and challenged its decision to stop re-issuance of lost examinations certificates. Consequently, the examinations body changed its policy and is now re-issuing lost certificates.
“I have other active applications and day by day I am seeing results,” Walter wrote in an appreciation email to the Commission.
Under the Access to information Act, 2016, every citizen has a right to access information held by public agencies and some private organisations. The Commission is the oversight and enforcement agency.
How to contact the Ombudsman.
You can launch a complaint against a public office or public officer from which/whom you sought services that were not rendered or that were delayed, or the officer was unprofessional, rude or disrespectful to you or other members of public.
In case you are having troubles accessing your KNEC documents or any other complaint just contact the Ombudsman through the following channels:
- Head Office physical location: 2nd Floor, West End Towers; Opposite Aga Khan High School off Waiyaki Way – Westlands
- Postal address:P.O. Box 20414 – 00200 NAIROBI.
- Telephone: +254-20-2270000/2303000/2603765/2409574/0777 125818 / 0800221349 (Toll free)
- Email : [email protected]
- Website: https://www.ombudsman.go.ke/
All the services offered by the Ombudsman are free of charge.
Complaints can be made through the following means:
- Visiting any of the Commission’s offices (Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Isiolo, and Eldoret) in person;
- Calling toll free number, 0800221349 or 020 2270000;
- Texting short code number, 15700 (Safaricom Subscribers);
- Writing a letter through P. O. Box 20414, 00200, Nairobi;
- Writing an email to [email protected];
- Visiting any of the following Huduma Centres: Kakamega, Bungoma, Nyeri, Embu, Kajiado, Nakuru, Kisii, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi (Teleposta Towers).
- Filling an online complaint form on our website found here
And even more and more assistance from the Ombudsman
A teacher was finally issued with the Higher Education Board’s (HELB) clearance following the intervention of the Commission in a matter of double deduction.
According to Paul Magolo, he repaid his HELB loan in lump sum in February 2020 through a direct deposit but despite clearing his loan, the board’s records still showed he had a balance which led to two months’ subsequent deduction on his salary even after raising the same with the board. The continuous deduction prompted him to lodge a complaint with the Commission.
The Commission took up the matter with the Chief Executive Officer of the board who confirmed that Magolo had paid KES. 43,400 for his loan clearance but the stoppage of monthly deductions was not effected by the Teachers Service Commission.
“I wish to inform you that I have received a communication from HELB with a clearance certificate. I have cleared my loan and my account has been closed,” said Mr. Magolo in a letter to the Commission.
A university student whose misdirected HELB Loan was recovered after a three-year wait heaped a lot of praise to the Ombudsman.
“My issue has been finally resolved; I would like to express my gratitude to the Commission for the help,” these were the words of Ms. Jennifer Parsitau a final year student at Moi University.
According to Ms. Parsitau, she applied for the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loan for her first year study in 2016 and the Board approved her request for a loan of Kshs35,000. However, on 5th May 2016, the Board inadvertently transferred Kshs26,500 to a wrong bank account.
Ms. Parsitau was concerned that the money was talking ages to hit her account forcing her to raise the issue with the lender. However, three years later, no help was coming as her first year’s disbursement had not been redirected to the correct account despite the Board transmitting the subsequent three years’ loan disbursements to the right account. The inordinate delay and the unresponsiveness of the HELB to have the issue resolved forced her to lodge a complaint with the Commission on 31st October, 2019.
The Commission by way of inquiry took up the issue with the Chief Executive Officer of HELB. The Board in a letter to the Commission on 12th November, 2019, admitted to the error that it blamed on the unresponsiveness of the involved bank in correcting the anomaly by redirecting the money to the correct account.
In a letter to the Commission dated 7th February, 2020, the Board confirmed that the money had been redirected to Ms. Parsitau account bringing to an end her agonising three year wait.
Diploma Certificate Issued after Six-Year wait
“I would like to express my gratitude to your office for the assistance; I (recently) received a call to collect my Diploma Certificate from the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC). Words alone cannot explain how happy I am to hold a Diploma Certificate after six years of waiting,” these are the words of Mr. James Nyaikamba, a former student of the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA).
According to Mr. Nyaikamba, he was a student at Technology Development Centre, NITA-Athi River where he undertook a Diploma in Information Technology and completed his studies in 2012. However, six years later the institution had not issued his final certificate even after making several follow ups with the institution. The registrar in 2018 informed him that the institution had failed to collect his certificate from KNEC and he was advised to deposit Ksh. 5,000 into the KNEC’s account to facilitate the processing of the certificate.
Mr. Nyaikamba complied by depositing the amount into KNEC’s account and submitted the original receipt to the institution to facilitate the processing of the certificate. However, he later learnt from KNEC that the institution did not submit the receipt, instead the institution admitted that the original receipt was lost. The failures of NITA subjected James to untold suffering since KNEC could not process the certificate without the original receipt and he was also finding it hard to apply for jobs and further his education without the certificate. The continued suffering forced James to lodge a complaint with the Commission.
The Commission by way of inquiry took up the matter with the Ag. Director General of NITA and the Ag. Chief Executive Officer of KNEC leading to the processing and release of the diploma certificate.
Pensions processed after 14 years’ wait
The Pensions Department is one of the public institutions most complained against to the Ombudsman. This is because many retirees and beneficiaries undergo too much suffering owing to undue delay in the processing and payment of their benefits. This is the story of a former teacher who can now enjoy his pension benefits after a 14-year wait thanks to the intervention of the Commission.
According to Mr. Francis Nyongesa, he retired on 30th June 2005 from the Teachers Service Commission(TSC)and his personal file was transmitted to the Pensions Department for processing of his pension where he was issued with a pension number. However, it was a long wait as his pension was not being processed subjecting him to untold suffering due to the inordinate delay. This prompted him to lodge a complaint with the Commission.
The Commission by way of inquiry took up the issue with the Pensions Department on 22nd October 2018. The Department responded indicating that they had initiated the computation of Mr. Nyongesa’s pension when his file got misplaced. The Commission asked the Department to give due consideration to the matter and on 30th November 2019, they responded indicating that Mr. Nyongesa had been introduced in the November payroll and his pension paid.