Knec moves to beat exam cheats
FILE | NATION
A Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidate in an exam room.
What you need to know:
Instructions
- The candidate must provide a recent colour passport full face photograph with their full index number and name written in ink on the back of the photograph.
- Apply a little amount of glue (or use a glue stick) on the back of the photograph to help hold the photograph onto the form.
- Place the photograph over the respective box to completely cover the un-shaded part. Ensure that the photograph aligns vertically with the vertical edges of the box.
- Apply the photo patch over the photograph to x it in place.
- Head Teacher to sign confirmation that the contents of the form are accurate and true.
- Do not use photocopies of this form as the computer cannot read data from a photocopy.
- Do not fold this form.
Standard Eight and Form Four candidates have until September 24 to submit photographs to the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec), which will be embossed on their certificates.
The new requirement was introduced to beat cheating in exam rooms and rampant theft of certificates.
The council has stopped the printing of certificates that do not bear photographs of candidates at national secondary and primary school levels.
The new rule will be applied to the one million candidates who sit their exams next month.
In a new circular released this month, Knec asked the candidates to send in current passport size photos by September 24.
Council secretary Paul Wasanga said the new move would help eliminate forgery of certificates, a practice that has been on the rise in recent years.
It is also aimed at stamping out impersonation of candidates during examinations.
Some 356,015 candidates have registered for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations that start next month.
Another 741,507 will sit the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations in November.
This figure comprises the first group of pupils who joined Standard One when the Free Primary Education programme was introduced in 2003.
In his latest circular, Mr Wasanga said “all candidates are advised that no certificates will be printed without a photograph”.
Mr Wasanga said each candidate will be required to submit to the council a recent colour photograph through their respective schools.
The council had sent out special forms unique to each student to schools for each exam centre.
The forms contain each candidate’s index number above which the pictures will be affixed. The guidelines also provide details on the quality of photographs required.
“Candidates should therefore ensure that photographs they provide meet the specifications and quality as outlined,” he said.
Headteachers have been instructed to ensure the process is thoroughly vetted, validated and candidates’ photographs aligned with their respective index numbers.
The forms would be processed and sent to schools for confirmation of details by October 18.
On Thursday, Mrs Eddah Muiruri, Knec’s head of examination administration, said the council was already receiving completed forms containing the photos from schools.
Mr Geoffrey Gitogo, the head of information and communication technology at the examinations council, said the photos could be taken at any ordinary studio.
“Even normal passport size photographs can be resized to meet our specifications,” he said.
The new measure is the latest attempt by the council to clamp down on exam cheats, who have beaten security systems to sustain cases of irregularities.
At the beginning of the year, the council ordered pupils to produce their birth certificates before they can be allowed to register.
But the rule was later relaxed after opposition from MPs and the inability of some government offices to deal with the increased numbers of applicants, who included Class One and Form One learners.
The council also came up with a rule that banned candidates whose results were cancelled last year from resitting the exams until after two years.
Education minister Sam Ongeri, however, quashed a gazette notice by the council and opened the way for candidates whose results were cancelled to resit the examinations this year if they wished.
Results of about 3,000 candidates are cancelled annually over allegations of cheating.
The memo detailing the latest photo rule, dated August 30, is copied to Education permanent secretary Prof James Ole Kiyiapi, Education secretary Prof George Godia and higher education director Robert Masese.
It is also sent to all provincial and district education officials.
