National school candidates among 5,101 KSCE exam cheats

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i (second left) after he released the results of the 2015 KCSE exam at the Kenya National Examinations Council offices in Nairobi on March 3, 2016. With him is Education Principal Secretary Richard Belio Kipsang (right). PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The highest cheating rate, 70 per cent, was in the 2015 exam.

  • A number of schools had their entire results cancelled.

  • Despite the cheating, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i maintained that the results are credible, and ruled out a pre-university entry exam in September.

A total of 64 candidates from 14 national schools were among 5,101 whose 2015 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam results were cancelled over malpractices.

A total of 2,538 candidates who cheated were from 150 sub-county schools, 1,817 from 56 county schools, 512 from 56 private schools, and 170 from 29 private exam centres.

The highest cheating rate, 70 per cent, was in the 2015 exam.

A number of schools had their entire results cancelled.

They include Nkumari Secondary School in Meru County — 25 candidates, Propoi Secondary School — 67 candidates, and Parua Mixed Secondary School 32 candidates. Propoi and Parua are in West Pokot County.

Others are Eisero Secondary School in Nandi County — 50 candidates, Kitengela Boys School in Kajiado County — 76 candidates, St Paul Omonayo Secondary School in Nyamira County — 66 candidates, Seka Mixed Secondary School — 25 candidates, and Waondo Secondary School — 77 candidates.

Seka and Waondo are in Homa Bay County.

Despite the cheating, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i maintained that the results are credible, and ruled out a pre-university entry exam in September.

The CS said the sharing of information on cheating by his ministry was a clear indication that it had nothing to hide, and was determined to end the practice.

In 2014, 2,975 candidates had their results cancelled for cheating, while 3,812 were affected in 2013.

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Dr Matiang’i said exam irregularities were reported by chief examiners, supervisors, invigilators, county and sub-county education officials, Kenya National Examinations Council monitoring officers, candidates, head teachers and the public.

“All reported cases have been exhaustively investigated using procedures that have been put in place to ensure that standards are maintained from year to year,” said Dr Matiang’i.

The cancelled results represent 0.98 per cent of the total 522,870 candidates.

“All counties, with the exception of Isiolo, had candidates involved in exam cheating,” said the minister.

The CS said the three counties with the highest number of exam centres involved are Makueni (22), Nairobi (20) and Meru (18).

Makueni, Bomet and Kisii counties had the highest number of candidates involved in cheating.

“Results for all the candidates who were involved have been cancelled,” said Dr Matiang’i.

He said 171 individuals were arrested and charged in courts for committing various offences during the 2015 KCSE exam.