A teacher identified as Dr. Sally Mutinda has collapsed and died during the marking of KCPE examinations at St. George’s High School in Nairobi.
She was the deputy in charge of St. George’s High School marking center at the time of death. The marking and grading of Insha and Composition papers was taking place at the school when teacher Mutinda passed on.
According to sources, Sally collapsed and died yesterday 19th November, 2023 as she was clearing examiners who had just completed their marking.
Dr. Mutinda is not the first teacher to have died during national examinations marking exercise. Tusunini Primary School teacher, Robert Kiua Muindi, died while marking KCPE four years ago in Nairobi.
Conditions and strenuous marking exercise has led to pressure, stress, and death of teachers.
Mwalimu Amunga who was at the scene said that the center had so poor working conditions that anyone would be stressed easily.
“Bad food, sleeping like omena in a sack, cold showers, and working 16 hours a day can kill anyone,” he said.
The poor paying noble job of marking KCPE and KCSE examinations is one of the worst things that a teacher can experience.
Currently heads of institutions have to be at the container depot by 4 AM and spend the entire day watching like a security guard.
As we mourn the death of Amunga, we are reminded and must be persuaded that the marking of KCSE KNEC examinations is and must be registered as one of the thousand ways to die. A real possible cause of death in the teaching profession. KNEC must be aware of that and take remedial action to save lives.
