NASA MPs now want Matiang’i to resign

A section of National Super Alliance (NASA) leaders want Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to resign and allow for an audit of the 2017 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results.

Led by Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Hamisi and his Uriri counterpart Mark Nyamiti, the legislators on Wednesday said they had written to National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi asking him to recall the legislators from recess to discuss the results that were characterised by mass failure.

“We cannot afford as a nation to treat any generation unfairly or loose potential in any of our sons or daughters. This unfairness must be collected now and we call upon the Cabinet Secretary for Education Dr. Fred Matiang’i to resign immediately,” said Mr Hamisi.

“Matiang’i  needs to tone down his excitement of speedy delivery of things that do not even require speed. We are not in a hurry with the future of our children. We had better delay and get it right,” added Mr. Nyamiti. “If we do not address this education crisis we are going to get into serious problems.”

However, House Majority Leader Aden Duale pored cold water on the MPs’ attempt to have parliament recalled, saying only he has those powers.

“It’s only the Leader of Majority or Minority who can write to speaker on recalling Parliament on a matter of national importance and if in the view of the speaker who then will gazette the special sitting day and the agenda. Saboti & Uriri MPs must read the standing orders first,” he tweeted.

The 2017 KCSE results has been a subject of heated political debate after it emerged that out of 615,772 candidates who wrote this year’s KCSE exam, only 70,073 attained the university entry grade of C+.

Nearly three-quarters, 438,914, had a D plus and below.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has since asked the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) to recall the results without further delay to allow for thorough auditing and moderation of the results.

However, in an interview with Citizen TV Dr. Matiang’i told off critics over claims that this year’s KCSE examination was mismanaged, leading to massive failure of candidates.

Matiang’i said the examination was professionally handled, adding that the poor performance was proof that results were unethically manipulated in previous years.