Leaders protest at ban on exam cheats

Two leaders have criticised a decision to slap a two-year ban on examination cheats.

Public Works minister and Bobasi MP Chris Obure and his Bomachoge counterpart Simon Ogari said the punishment was too harsh. They claimed that the students were victims of a wider conspiracy.

Mr Obure said the ban by the Kenya National Examinations Council was like a life sentence for the students concerned.

He asked the authorities to investigate the matter.

The minister was speaking at Ogembo town in Gucha District. More than 200 candidates who sat their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination in the district had their results cancelled over irregularities.

Top on the list was Magena Secondary School, where the results of 180 students were cancelled.

Mr Ogari said it was sad that the 14 years the students had invested in school would go down the drain.

“As a leader, I will never condone cheating and, although the truth has not come out, we are punishing the wrong people. If there was collusion, those who facilitated it must be punished,” he said.

The MP said parents and teachers at Magena told him they had been warned about the cancellation through leaflets and text messages even before the announcement was made.

He appealed to parents to remain calm, saying investigations were in progress.

Tension has been high at the school with fears that angry parents might attack it.