Police arrest 31 in KCSE cheating probe

Police have arrested at least 31 people suspected of involvement in examination irregularities countrywide.
They include 24 teachers, four policemen, a bursar and two photocopiers.
In Kisii, 17 suspects were arrested on Monday after they were found with copies of a chemistry exam paper which was being done at the time. They were caught working out the answers in a house neighbouring the school.

ANSWERS
They include a supervisor, seven invigilators and a deputy principal at Monianku Secondary School. All were taken to court and detained in police custody for five more days to allow conclusion of investigations.
At Shamta Academy in Kakamega, six suspects including five teachers were found in a room with examination materials.
They were arrested shortly after the candidates completed the mathematics paper on Monday. It is alleged that the teachers had worked out the questions and were preparing to hand over the answers to the 22 candidates.

PHOTOCOPY
It is not clear how the suspects were able to access question papers and photocopy them. It is also puzzling how the question papers that are supposed to be in the custody of school principals ended up with outsiders.
During the just concluded Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination, Science and Kiswahili papers disappeared in Narok County without a trace up to today. The 17 candidates at Oloonamuka Primary School in Narok County were forced to start the exam almost two hours late as the field officers rushed to photocopy the papers from a nearby primary school. Four teachers and four police officers have already been charged in court.

UNAUTHORISED
These incidents have occurred despite the elaborate security measures that have seen more than 20, 156 police officers deployed to supervise the exercise.
Yesterday, Knec chairman George Magoha said the examination was going on in the centres where irregularities had been cited because the candidates did not access the unauthorised materials.
“We have allowed the candidates to continue with the examination materials since there was no leakage,” said Prof Magoha, while speaking in Nairobi where he visited Kamukunji High, Eastleigh High School and Starehe Boys centre.

EYESIGHT
Meanwhile, at least seven candidates in Isiolo County are pregnant. But County Commissioner John Ondego said the girls from will continue to write their exams either in hospitals or examination centres.
In Taita Taveta County, a candidate has been forced to stop her examinations after she suddenly lost her eyesight.

ABSCONDED
The Marungu secondary school pupil in Voi Sub County could not sit her English Paper One examinations on Tuesday and was rushed to hospital for medical attention.
In Coast, 184 candidates, 70 in Mombasa, 19 in Kwale, 55 in Kilifi, 10 in Tana River, 24 in Taita Taveta and 6 in Lamu, absconded the examinations.
In Machakos, a candidate at Makiliva Secondary School sat the exams at Mwala level Four Hospital after giving birth on Monday. The 17-year-old was rushed to the hospital after she developed labour pains.

PREGNANCIES
Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed speaking in Muranga said the government is working on a policy to deal with teenage pregnancies in primary and secondary schools.
Last year, one teacher was sacked and 45 others suspended over irregularities in last year’s of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination.

Reported by Victor Raballa, Ouma Wanzala, Benson Amadala, Vitalis Kimutai, Elizabeth Ojina, Shaban Makokha, Stephen Oduor, Vivian Jebet, Lucy Mkanyika, Gastone Valusi, Ndungu Gachane, Winnie Atieno, Mohamed Ahmed and Magati Obebo