Education PS Bitok calls for suspension of mock exams as school riots rise
Education PS Bitok calls for suspension of mock exams as school riots rise
Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has urged schools to consider temporarily postponing mock examinations, warning that the tests may be contributing to rising tensions and a wave of student unrest that has affected dozens of secondary schools across the country.
Bitok said boards of management and school administrators should avoid subjecting learners to examinations they are not prepared for, arguing that such situations could trigger disturbances and disrupt learning.
“We have asked the boards of management and the school management to reconsider, even postponing the mock exams temporarily, to ensure that students do not riot,” said Bitok.
He called on schools to engage students and address concerns that may be creating anxiety rather than compelling them to sit high-stakes assessments.
“Let us have a conversation with the students. If they are not ready for a mock exam, you should be able to engage them. They should be able to tell you if that is what is causing tension in our schools,” he said.
His remarks come amid growing concern over student unrest that has swept through several learning institutions in recent weeks. According to Ministry of Education data, about 80 secondary schools have experienced disturbances, including arson attacks and student walkouts, leading to closures and the early release of students.
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Exam pressure and changes to examination schedules have been cited among the factors behind the unrest. The issue came under renewed scrutiny following the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls’ High School, where a dormitory was set ablaze, killing 16 students and injuring several others.
In response, the government has deployed 1,000 quality assurance officers to affected schools and ordered a nationwide audit of boarding institutions to assess compliance with safety standards.
Despite the incidents, Bitok said learning has remained largely uninterrupted, noting that 99.2 per cent of schools are operating normally. He also assured parents and learners that the academic calendar would remain unchanged.
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