Kwale: 43,223 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificates remain uncollected in Kwale county. Secondary school certificates are crucial for students' futures, acting as a prerequisite for higher education and certain jobs, particularly in both public and private sectors.
According to Kenya News Agency, County Director of Education (CDE) Ahmed Abdi has revealed that thousands of high school certificates belonging to past KCSE candidates remain uncollected as they were never picked up. The certificates of previous high school graduates are waiting for collection, prompting education officials to appeal to those who have yet to retrieve their certificates.
The CDE attributed the unclaimed certificates to a lack of sensitisation regarding their timely availability. Abdi highlighted the challenges faced by schools due to piles of uncollected certificates, which create difficulties in physical record keeping. He noted that some certificates date back as far as 10 years and urged students to collect them.
Abdi emphasized that quite a number of schools have recently expedited the process of issuing certificates to their owners, noting that they are a mandatory requirement for higher learning institutions and potential employers. He also blamed students for not showing sufficient interest in collecting the certificates they spent resources and time pursuing.
Some of the schools most affected include Kwale High, Matuga Girls, Kaya Tiwi High, Kwale Girls, Waa Girls, Lunga Lunga Secondary, Mwavumbo Secondary, and Ramisi High, among others. Abdi expressed concern over the situation, stating that form four certificates often open doors for further education and employment opportunities. Lack of a certificate could result in promotion denials at workplaces and job denials during interviews.
Education officials and school heads are collaborating with local chiefs to trace the concerned parties and enable them to collect their certificates. Abdi reiterated that the Ministry of Education prohibits the withholding of academic certificates for unpaid fees or any other reason, emphasizing that schools must release them unconditionally.
Recently, the Ministry of Education disclosed plans for KCSE exam certificates to be picked up from sub-county directors of education offices rather than schools. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba informed parliament of his intention to remove certificate issuance from schools after principals were found to be defying directives not to withhold the papers. This initiative follows growing pressure from MPs for the government to compel school principals to release certificates being withheld over unpaid school fees.