Kenyan Authorities Defend Recruiting Police Officers With Low Grades

Authorities in Kenya have defended the recruitment process of officers, saying that those with higher grades from secondary school exams had “unrealistic demands.”

Charles Owino, the spokesperson for Kenya Police Service the force focuses on career advancement and are unlikely to work as hard as their counterparts with lesser grades.

He told local media: “We have a challenge when we employ every policeman with grade C+ and above…they go back to school, they get their degrees, they come back and tell you ‘now we don’t want to serve at this level’.

“We have a challenge when we employ every policeman with grade C+ and above…they go back to school, they get their degrees, they come back and tell you ‘now we don’t want to serve at this level’.”

Mr Owino said that what was important was recruiting “intelligent people”, saying that this was not determined by academic grades alone.

“You come in with good education… and don’t do your work, it’s not your education that will do your work, you must be practical, and you must earn your promotions fairly,” Mr Owino said.

Kenya Police Service has often been listed as the most corrupt government institution, its officers have been accused of human rights violations and infringement of people’s rights.

Some Kenyans have blamed this on the recruitment process which focusses on officers’ physical attributes instead of academic qualification.

“There’s a lot that [policing] involves, it’s not just high grades only,” he said.

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