A total of 840 candidates who sat the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations have had their results cancelled due to their involvement in examination malpractice.
In addition, the results of 2,899 other candidates suspected of being involved in irregularities have been withheld pending investigations by the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec).
Speaking during the release of the 2024 KCSE results on January 9, 2024, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba revealed that the candidates were found guilty of cheating despite measures put in place to ensure accountability and uphold the integrity of the examination process. However, the CS did not reveal the schools where the affected students sat the exams.
“There were 840 candidates who were involved in examination irregularities in the 2024 KCSE examination and their examination results have been cancelled,” he said.
The CS further revealed that the results of other candidates suspected to have been involved in the examination irregularities have been withheld pending the completion of investigations, which should be completed within a period of 30 days from the official date of the release of the examination results.
Mr Ogamba said the investigations, guided by Knec (Handling of Examination Irregularities) Rules of 2015, will be completed within 30 days of the official release of results.
Despite these efforts, examination malpractices have continued with 91 contracted professionals, including teachers, accused of aiding students to cheat. Mr Ogamba expressed disappointment at the involvement of educators in compromising the integrity of the exams.
“It is unfortunate that a few contracted professionals and teachers are, however, still insistent on ruining the future of our learners by subjecting them to examination malpractices. Ninety-one contracted professionals were reported to have been involved in aiding examination malpractices. Firm disciplinary action will be taken against such teachers,” he said.
The number of cases of examination malpractice reported this year has decreased compared to 2023 when 4,113 candidates were found to be involved in examination irregularities.
During this period, Knec cancelled four results due to suspected impersonation and 120 contracted professionals were implicated in facilitating the malpractices.
“The council is empowered in law to withhold the results of any candidate or examination centre suspected of involvement in irregularities pending the completion of investigations,” he said.
During the 2024 KCSE examination, a total of 962,512 candidates sat the examination compared to 899,453 candidates in 2022. This represents an increase of 64,553 candidates (7.19 per cent).
Earlier this year, Mr Ogamba reiterated that the government had put in place several measures to ensure that examination cheating does not recur.
Speaking while supervising the distribution of the 2024 KCSE examination papers, Mr Ogamba warned those caught cheating of dire consequences and outlined ways the government planned to curb the vice in schools across the country.
"The government has taken steps to curb attempts at cheating and irregularities through various innovative approaches. These include the personalisation of examination papers and the securing of all mobile phones in an examination centre while an examination is in progress," CS Ogamba said.
Knec CEO David Njeng'ere noted significant improvements in the handling and distribution of examination papers.
"In November 2024, a total of 10,754 examination centres registered candidates who were efficiently served by 610 distribution centres across the country. The implementation of a double collection of papers for the first and second sessions was a game changer, effectively eliminating the problem of early exposure that had previously affected a few centres," he said.
He added: "I can confirm to you that last year and this year we did not record a single case of early exposure of the second session paper".
