Bomet KNUT Treasurer Criticizes Examination Standards and Teaching Gaps
By Festus Ronoh | Bomet
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Bomet Branch Treasurer, Peter Rono, has raised alarm over the current state of the education system, citing a mismatch between examination standards and pupils’ learning capabilities.
Rono pointed out that examinations, particularly in mathematics for Grade Six, are excessively difficult and not suited to the learners’ developmental levels. He also expressed concern over the Grade Nine national assessments, saying they are too demanding for the students.
“The exams are far beyond what the pupils have been taught or can reasonably handle,” Rono said.
He singled out Creative Arts, which includes Music, Art and Craft, and Physical Education, as a major area of concern, noting that students are being tested on content that many teachers are not adequately trained to deliver.
“These subjects are not at the level of these students,” he remarked, adding that most of the teachers handling them are university graduates who did not specialize in these areas during training.
Rono further observed that P1-trained teachers, who possess the necessary foundational skills to teach these subjects, have been sidelined, creating a gap in instruction quality.
According to him, this misalignment between the curriculum design, teaching personnel, and learner abilities has left students struggling to cope with assessments.
“It is now evident that the learners are unable to tackle these subjects effectively,” Rono stated, calling for an urgent review of both exam content and teacher deployment.
He emphasized the need for the Ministry of Education to align the curriculum with pupils’ abilities and ensure that teachers with the appropriate training are assigned to teach relevant subjects.
