Petition filed to force KNEC to set and administer fresh exams to teenage mothers

The Kenya National Examinations Council, KNEC, may be forced to set and administer special/ supplementary examinations if a petition filed goes through. A group of three Nairobi based residents: Peter Solomon Gichira, Faith Nuru and Miriam Mutua want the council forced to set new tests for girls sitting for exams while breastfeeding or pregnant. The three petitioners have sued the Kenya National Examinations Council, the Teachers Service Commission, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, the Attorney General and the Education Cabinet Secretary at the High Court. They have also included learners who still for the KCPE and KCSE examinations will sick and those bereaved in their petition. They argue that learners who sit for exams under these conditions do not do well in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, KCPE, and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE, Examinations.

In their petition, they want the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Dr. Amina Mohammed, penalized for negligence. The three petitioners argue that the Education CS called for an audit on increased school girls’ pregnancies too late since the vice has been happening for a long time now, minus any intervention. A high number of pregnancy cases of candidates sitting for this year’s national examinations in class eight and form four has been reported.

The three also want the high court to direct the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, KICD, to develop and roll out a detailed sexual and reproductive health programme for both primary and secondary schools’ learners.

The petition was filed at the High Court, in Nairobi, on Monday 12th November 2018.