By Caroline Katana
A staggering 43,223 KCSE certificates remain uncollected in secondary schools across Kwale County, despite a government directive that requires school principals to release the documents free of charge to former students.
According to Kwale County Director of Education, Mr. Abdi Ahmed, the certificates dated back up to ten years and represent a major bottleneck in the academic and professional progress of thousands of young people.
“We have a serious challenge in Kwale. Our findings show that thousands of KCSE candidates under the 8-4-4 system never returned to collect their certificates. This number is extremely high compared to the total population of high school students in the county,” said Mr. Ahmed.
He is now calling on political leaders, religious figures, community elders, chiefs, and education stakeholders to help create awareness and mobilize former students to collect their certificates, which can now be issued without payment.
“I urge all leaders from politicians to chiefs and religious institutions—to come together and help these young people. These certificates are key to their future. Whether for employment, joining university or technical training, or even repaying school fees, these documents are essential. The figure of 43,223 is simply too high to ignore,” he said.
Top Schools with the Highest Number of Uncollected Certificates
Mr. Ahmed revealed that even some of Kwale’s most prominent institutions have large backlogs of certificates gathering dust in their offices: Kaya Tiwi Secondary School (Matuga) – 1,585 certificates, Kwale Girls – (Matuga) 1,550, Kwale Boys’ National School (Matuga)– 1,700, and Matuga Girls’ National School( Matuga ) – 1,283.
Others include Mwavumbo Secondary School (Samburu) – 1,412, Shimba Hills Secondary School ( shimbahills) – 1,418, Lungalunga and Fronz Joseph Secondary Schools – nearly 900 and Ramisi Secondary School (Msambweni) – 1,012.
Mr. Ahmed stressed that the delay is not the fault of teachers or schools.
“This isn’t a failure by school principals. The problem lies with many parents who never informed their children about the certificates. Leaving these documents locked in school cabinets serves no purpose. These youths could have used them to apply for college or jobs and uplift themselves economically.”
He proposed that schools work with leaders to set aside specific days for distributing certificates in compliance with the Ministry of Education’s directive.
At the same time, Mr. Ahmed disclosed that 221 students in Forms Two to Four have benefitted this year from the government’s scholarship program, aimed at supporting learners from vulnerable backgrounds.
He urged all affected students to visit their former schools and pick up their certificates immediately. If any school demands payment, he advised students to report the matter to the county education office.
“From today, any student who hears this message should go to their former school and collect their certificate. No one should pay a single cent. Just go with your national ID and proof of former enrollment,” said Mr. Ahmed.
Kwale’s Education Sector on the Rise
Despite the certificate issue, Mr. Ahmed noted that Kwale’s education sector is improving, with minimal disruption this year from climate change or infrastructure-related challenges.
“We haven’t experienced school dropouts due to food shortages or the destruction of toilets caused by rains, which were major problems in previous years. This time, all learners from primary and secondary schools are in class,” he said.
He attributed the positive progress to a strong partnership between the national government and the NGCDF, which has helped improve infrastructure—including the successful construction of classrooms to accommodate learners joining senior school in 2026.
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