Samburu deputy principal among 4 arrested over exam cheating

Mr Simon Wekesa Situma, Deputy Principal of Baragoi Boys' High School, was arrested alongside invigilator Elijah Leshore and teachers Abraham Kiprotich and Mwale Vincent. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Simon Wekesa Situma of Baragoi Boys' High School was arrested alongside invigilator Elijah Leshore and teachers Abraham Kiprotich and Mwale Vincent.
  • They were apprehended after they were caught in the staff washroom, preparing unauthorised materials suspected to be exam answer sheets.
  • At least 35 people have been arrested so far and Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has warned that cartels have devised new tricks to beat the system.

Police in Samburu County are holding a secondary school deputy principal, two biology teachers and an invigilator over exam malpractices.

Mr Simon Wekesa Situma of Baragoi Boys' High School was arrested alongside invigilator Elijah Leshore and teachers Abraham Kiprotich and Mwale Vincent.

They were apprehended after they were caught in the staff washroom, preparing unauthorised materials suspected to be exam answer sheets.

It is suspected that the four were supplying candidates with answers to that exam.

“They moved in and out frequently, causing our officers to be suspicious,” states a report sent to the police headquarters.

PROBE ON

When one of the officers manning the tests at the school went to check, he stumbled upon what he suspected to be answers for biology paper two, which was being administered at the time.

The officers reported the matter to the area police station's commander (OCS), who later accompanied the examination monitoring team to the school.

The four were arrested and taken to Samburu North Sub-county offices of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for investigation. 

Cases of cheating continue to be reported despite the government’s efforts to curb exam malpractices.

At least 35 people have been arrested so far and Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has warned that cartels have devised new tricks to beat the system.