The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia has issued a stern warning to teachers against aiding students to cheat in the upcoming national examinations.
The TSC boss noted that as schools resume for the third term, teachers ought to ensure the students prepare adequately for the national tests.
She recounted that in the past exams, a number of teachers were caught in exam irregularities, which led to tough measurements taken against them.
"As we prepare to enter the third term, in a year when we shall have two KCPE and two KCSE examinations, let us also prepare to do our best,” Macharia stated.
She also challenged headteachers to get solutions in order to address exam phobia, which she termed as one of the causes of school unrest in the past months that saw over 30 school dormitories burnt.
“For the exams to run smoothly we need to find the solutions, and prepare the examination students well,” Macharia pointed out.
The sentiments were echoed by Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha who also issued a tough warning to headteachers over imposing extra charges. Magoha also directed the school heads not to send students home over unpaid fees or uniform.
"Public primary schools are free and therefore no children should be sent home. For secondary schools, 75 per cent of the ones we have are day schools and only 25 per cent are boarding schools and therefore no Kenyan child should be out of school,” he stated.
During the 2020 KCPE examinations, the education ministry had reported 12 malpractice cases. The cases were, however, pardoned by President Uhuru Kenyatta who directed the ministry to allow the students to be admitted to secondary schools.
However, this was not the case in the KCSE 2020 exams after a total of 287 students failed to receive their results due to irregularities.
Education CS, while announcing the KCSE 2020 results, added that the institutions where the students were caught cheating were lucky as the ministry could have cancelled the entire schools' results.
In a bid to recover time lost when schools closed for nine months in 2020 because of the pandemic, 2022 will have five national examinations for Grade Six, Standard Eight and Form Four students.
Standard 8 and Form 4 candidates will sit their exams in March and April, while those in Standard 7 and Form 3 will join their final classes in late April and sit KCPE and KCSE exams in November and December respectively.
President Uhuru Kenyatta in his New Year Message, encouraged the students to take heart for a challenging academic year ahead but noted that this would eventually lay the foundation for their future.
"To our learners, we appreciate that, just like in the year 2021, the2022 academic calendar will similarly be long and challenging. However, let 2022 be a year of destiny, of dreams becoming reality, and for laying the foundation stones for a glorious future."
"In that regard, I take this early opportunity to wish all our examination candidates all the best in this year’s examinations," the President stated.
