NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 12-The Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), popularly known as the Office of the Ombudsman, has secured the release of KCSE certificates for two former students whose academic documents had allegedly been withheld by their former schools, reinforcing the government’s position that certificates should not be used to settle disputes or recover school-related costs.

📻 Breaking It Down

The interventions came after separate complaints were lodged by former students who said the withholding of their certificates had denied them access to employment and higher education opportunities.

In the first case, a former student identified as S.N. complained to the Commission on April 10, 2026, accusing Kisumazi Secondary School of unlawfully retaining her KCSE certificate despite repeated efforts to collect it since 2023.

According to the Commission, the complainant argued that the school’s actions had directly affected her future prospects.

📌 What You Need to Know

“She maintained that the continued withholding of the document contravened the Ministry of Education’s directives and had caused her to miss several employment and academic opportunities,” the Commission said.

The Ombudsman subsequently wrote to the school’s principal on April 24 seeking clarification. In a response dated May 19, the principal denied withholding the certificate and stated that it was ready for collection.

“In a letter dated 19th May, 2026, the Principal denied withholding the certificate and confirmed that it was available for collection,” the Commission noted.

The school attached a photograph of the certificate as proof and advised the former student to collect it. The Commission forwarded the response to S.N., who later picked up the document, resolving the complaint.

In a separate matter, St. Mary’s Boys High School-Ushanganyi released the KCSE certificate of former student H.G. after intervention by the rights watchdog.

H.G. had filed a complaint on March 16, 2026, alleging that the school had refused to release his certificate despite completing his studies in 2024 and clearing all school fees.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya