Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos has revealed how malpractices in the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Examinations, will be dealt with.
Addressing examiners at Lang’ata Sub-County Headquarters in Nairobi on Monday, November 11, Migos said the government will punish individuals and not groups like in previous years.
“We have put in place very serious measures to the extent that this year if there is any malpractice, we are not going to condemn the whole school, center, or number of people who are there. It is going to be individualized,” the CS stated.
According to the CS, if a student is caught cheating, his/her serialized exam papers will be used to determine the source of the malpractice before a punishment is initiated.
He used a scenario where a supervisor opens the exam papers and takes a photo while moving from the collection centre to the schools.
“I say that because, for example, if you are moving from here (center) to the school and you open those exam papers and take a photo, we will know that it is you because you picked it from here. So we will deal with you as an individual,” he said.
He added that in case of exam cheating involving a student’s mobile phone, the Ministry will be able to identify the culprit because all papers are serialized.
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“Where we find that a student has taken a phone into the exam room, taken a photo of their paper, and sent it around, we will know that it was that student because all papers are serialised. That is the student who will face the music when the result is released. It will not be condemning the whole institution.”
“Where we find that the whole team collaborated or conspired to ensure that there is some interference like it happened in Homabay, we will follow the evidence and ensure that all those who are involved face the law,” Ogamba said.
Every year, cases of cheating in national exams are reported in various parts of the country an act that has led to the cancellation of exams of entire schools.
In 2023, KNEC withheld the KCSE results of more than 4,000 students over alleged irregularities and cancelled the results of four candidates over impersonation.
In the 2024 exams, the ministry has so far recorded eleven cases of examiners attempting to sneak mobile phones and other materials to KCSE candidates.
Eight teachers from Pala Masogo Secondary School in Homa Bay were arrested for allegedly abetting cheating after being caught photocopying the chemistry exam papers on school grounds.
