Acid test for Knec as exams start

Tough measures introduced by the government in administration of national examinations will be put to test on Tuesday when Class Eight pupils start their examinations.

The 952,473 candidates will sit the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam in 26,308 centres.

But, despite the tough measures set out by the Education ministry, one person was arrested in Migori on Saturday on allegations of selling fake examination papers.

Ken Odongo, a teacher at an unidentified private primary school in Rongo, was arrested while selling the papers to pupils of a private school in town.

Each paper is said to have been going for Sh5,000.

On Saturday, the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) chairman, Prof George Magoha, urged Kenyans to stop falling prey to the clear con game being mounted by unscrupulous people.

“Papers being sold to unsuspecting Kenyans do not have the slightest likeness to what we have set and printed,” he said.

“We arrested the suspect after a tip-off from the public. He had fake papers which he was using to cheat unsuspecting parents and pupils out of money,” said Rongo police boss Jonathan Kisaka.

“We are interrogating the man to establish how many people he might have conned. We are asking teachers and pupils who might have fallen victim to come forward and record statements,” he said.

On Friday, while wishing the candidates success in their examination, President Uhuru Kenyatta warned public servants against engaging in any malpractice.

“I assure them and their parents that utmost integrity will be the hallmark of the 2016 national examinations process,” said President Kenyatta.

On Monday the candidates will do rehearsals.

On Tuesday, they will write Mathematics and English papers, while on Wednesday, the candidates will sit the Science, Kiswahili papers and conclude with social studies and religious education on Thursday.

This is the first time KCPE is being done before Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination.

NEW MEASURES
The government has directed that all teachers except those involved in the administration of practical subjects and boarding facilities to remain out of schools during the examination season.

This year’s examination was also reset to avert any leakages.

In order to seal loopholes that have previously enabled candidates to cheat in examinations, Knec banned the use of clipboards and geometrical sets from examination rooms.

Candidates will be required to carry their geometrical instruments and writing materials in a clear see-through porch/poly bag/plastic paper.

Also banned is the use of mathematical tables, calculators as well as use of mobile phones within the precincts of the examination centres.

A command and control centre, to ensure enhanced coordination of all the activities related to examinations administration, has been established.

Knec acting chief executive officer Mercy Karogo said any candidate who will commit examination irregularity in any paper will have the results cancelled.

“If there is evidence of widespread irregularities in any examination centre, the examination results for the whole centre will be cancelled,” warned Ms Karogo.

There were massive examination irregularities last year that saw results of about 2,709 KCPE candidates and 5,100 KCSE candidates cancelled.

A total of 346 containers have also be set up in sub-counties for storage of examination materials.

Reporting by Ouma Wanzala, Elisha Otieno and Barrck Oduor