This is How KNEC Will Now Stop Exam Cheating

by Mary Kulundu on Tuesday, 21 August 2018 - 7:20 pm

The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has unveiled plans which are expected to help reduce exam cheating that has defined the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.

In a Press release, KNEC Chief Executive Officer Joseph Kivilu, said that they had established that the leakage occurred after the council handed over the examination material to Sub-County Education officials.

Kivilu stated that in a bid to cover the loopholes, KNEC had merged the existing 839 distribution centers to 439 central distribution centers which would be guarded by officials from the council, with assistance from local Education officials and police officers.

"In order to reduce the period for which examinations are stored at these distribution centers, one or two central distribution centers in each Sub-County have been identified. Papers would be stored and transported in the morning of the examination to other distribution centers for collection by the supervisors," said Kivilu.

Kivilu further indicated that all candidates involved in exam malpractices would be caught as KNEC had systems to identify irregularities from the answer scripts during marking.

The Council has been under pressure from various groups including the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) to abolish the exams that have been marred with cheating. However, the Examinations body firmly maintained that the exams would continue as scheduled.

Kivilu added that the validity and reliability of the compromise would only be determined during the marking process.

Kivilu further instructed school Directors and Deputy Directors to hire transport to be taking examination materials from the central distribution centers.

Education Committe Chair Sabina Chege blamed police tasked to guard the exams for the leakages but in a press statement the officers dismissed the allegations.

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi on Tuesday revealed that two police officers, 79 students and 13 teachers had been nabbed for the exam irregularities.