Exam cheating cases up by 1,007 in 2015 KCPE

A total of 2,709 candidates cheated in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results released Wednesday by Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, which is an increase from 1,702 last year.

Busia County had the highest cases of irregularities at 261 while Mandera and Vihiga had one each.

Other counties with irregularities included ; Kitui (128), Turkana (125), West Pokot (124), Nairobi (111), Kakamega (191), Kwale (17), Lamu (13), Nyandarua (41), Murang’a (37), Machakos (56), Embu (26), Meru (218), Isiolo (19), Makueni (16), Tharaka Nithi (5), Samburu (61), Trans Nzoia (51), Bomet (88), Nakuru (72), Kericho (65), Nandi (34), Laikipia (12), Narok (26), Baringo (54), Bungoma (71), Vihiga (1), Kisumu (75), Kisii (106), Homa Bay (156), Nyamira (38), Migori (53), Garissa (170) and Wajir (187).

A total of 157 persons who include head teachers and their deputies, teachers, university students, candidates, police officers and parents have been arrested and charged in court for various offences committed during the examinations.

Dr Matiang’i took to task top leadership of the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) led by Chairman Kibiru Kinyanjui and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Kivilu for the cheating, saying it will no longer be business as usual.

Dr Matiang’i said it was time to deal with this “nonsense of cheating”, noting that every officer will be held accountable for the irregularities, saying that 12 months are enough for the council to prepare for the examination.

He described cheating in national examination as the lowest form of intellectual dishonesty and directed that county directors of education take responsibility for cheating in their regions.

“We cannot condemn the lives of our children and, therefore, we must address these irregularities as it is eroding our credibility. We will do whatever it takes and everybody must be accountable and take their duties seriously,” said the CS.

INCREASE IN EXAM CHEATING
The cheating represented a 0.29 per cent of the number of candidates who sat for the examination and the cases were found in 111 out of 25,127 examination centres, representing 0.44 per cent of the total number of examination centres.

“This goes to show that there was a slight increase in the percentage of candidates who were involved in examination irregularities in 2015 when compared to 2014,” said Dr Matiang’i.

The highest examination irregularities were recorded in 2011 when 7,974 candidates were involved.

Collusion was the most common form of examination irregularity, accounting for 98.7 per cent of the total number of cases reported.

Dr Matiang’i said he was disappointed that head teachers and teachers were mostly responsible for encouraging, abetting and perpetuating examination irregularities.

“It is difficult to comprehend how some of the persons entrusted to shape and mentor the children of this nation are the ones at the fore front in enabling cheating in examinations.”

Dr Matiang’i directed Knec to hand over all cases of examination irregularities that involved head teachers and teachers to their employer, the Teachers Service Commission, to enable the commission take necessary disciplinary action against them.

“Although the Kenya National Examination Council shoulders the overall responsibility in ensuring that examinations are secured until they get to the candidates, as citizens of this country, we all have a role to play in ensuring that examination malpractices do not occur and where they occur report identified cases to the relevant authorities,” he said.

ENDING BLIGHT

He said 12 counties did not have any cheating reported including Taita Taveta, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River, Nyeri, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Marsabit, Uasin Gishu, Kajiado, Elgeyo Marakwet and Siaya.

In the list, Taita Taveta, Tana River, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Siaya were also not involved in examination irregularities in 2014.

And despite indicating that Mombasa had no cases of irregularities, 12 teachers were arrested last month with KCPE examination content they had allegedly shared in a social media group.

It was alleged the teachers had shared the exams among themselves in order to brief their pupils that morning before they sat the exams and were charged in court.

The Knec board chairman said the council was working tirelessly to end the problem and called for support.