New details have emerged indicating that there were some errors in the recently announced Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results.
In Nairobi's Olympic Primary school, over 500 students were awarded the wrong mark in mathematics with every student getting between 29 and 51 percent.
The school also had the best candidate wrongfully awarded 384 marks.
Speaking to the Nation, Olympic Primary school Headteacher Fredrick Odhiambo confirmed that errors had occurred in the awarding of the marks but explained that the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) had sorted out the issue.
“In the previous results, the best candidate had 384 marks but, after the correction, our top candidate has 427 marks and we have 13 candidates with more than 400 marks,” he stated.
KNEC acting CEO Mercy Karogo admitted the errors adding that they were as a result of a misprint and had since been corrected.
The errors come after Kenyans questioned the spectacular speed by which the exams were marked.
Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i released the results on Tuesday with the best student scoring 455 marks.
During the event, KNEC Chairman George Magoha revealed that the Commission had acquired machines that scanned the student's exam sheets hence the speedy marking and release of the results.
[caption caption="File image of CS Matiang'i and KNEC Chairman George Magoha"]
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“The new machines are faster, more efficient and accurate when it comes to processing the examinations. The council was able to realise accuracy of up to 99.99 percent in processing the papers,” Prof Magoha stated.
A number of changes were also announced in the examination sector after President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the CS to ensure that from next year, a special examination is set for students who were unable to sit the normal papers.
"The President has directed the Education Cabinet Secretary and his Ministry to set special supplementary examinations for a special cadre of students who, because of compassionate reasons, may be difficult to sit exams during the normal calendar.
"The special examination would be undertaken by students who may be ill, students who may have lost their parents during that period and those who may have given birth," the President stated.
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta meeting with senior Ministry of Education officials before releasing of the results"]
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