Magoha lifts lid on examination cheating
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha (centre) flanked by Knec CEO Mercy Karogo (right) and St George’s Girls Secondary School principal Lucy Rukunga during monitoring of the KCSE exams at the school in Nairobi on March 30, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Several schools in Migori, Nyamira and Garissa counties being investigated for examination irregularities.
- Some rogue invigilators and teachers caught opening the exam papers prematurely.
Some cases of cheating have been detected in the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has revealed.
As the national tests entered the third day yesterday, Prof Magoha warned that some schools will face sanctions for leaking exam papers to Form Four candidates.
The CS disclosed that several schools in Migori, Nyamira and Garissa counties are being investigated for allowing candidates access to examination papers before the scheduled time.
Some rogue invigilators and teachers in the schools, which he did not name, were caught opening the exam papers prematurely and sharing the questions with select candidates for revision. This gave them undue advantage over other candidates.
“We wish to inform the country that we unearthed a case of early exposure of some papers during this examination,” Prof Magoha said at St Georges Girls School in Nairobi, where he was monitoring the examinations.
Leaked material
Prof Magoha said an invigilator in Migori County was arrested after he was caught sharing some of the leaked material.
“The invigilator is now in the custody of police officers and will be arraigned to face criminal charges,” he added.
The ministry is monitoring three schools in Nyamira and three others in Garissa suspected to be involved in leaking examination papers to candidates.
He said another popular school is being monitored in Western region where the principal is believed to be colluding with university students to write exams on behalf candidates.
The CS, however, assured the country that the cases were isolated and the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) will deliver credible examinations.
Examination irregularity
According to Knec guidelines on examination cheating, any candidate who commits an examination irregularity will have the results for the whole subject cancelled.
Such a candidate will not be entitled to a result and will be awarded a “Y” overall grade. If there is evidence of wide-spread irregularities in any examination centre, the results for the entire centre will be cancelled.
Any person caught accessing the examination material before the scheduled time faces a jail term not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding Sh2 million. Knec has also prohibited candidates from having mobile phones or other electronic communication device in examination centres.
Yesterday, Prof Magoha said no candidate will be allowed to have an unfair advantage in the ongoing examinations.
Prof Magoha further warned that the ministry will publicly name schools involved in examination cheating.
