CS: Schools found to have engaged in exam cheating will be shut

Schools found to have engaged in examination cheating will be closed down and the culprits punished, Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed warned on Wednesday.

Security agencies, she said, were on the lookout for the cartels, which had been profiting from encouraging cheating in national examinations. The tests will begin in October. “Going forward, the ministry will close down any school found to engage in any form of cheating.”

She spoke at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development in Nairobi during a meeting with education stakeholders on national exams preparedness.

FULL SURVEILLANCE

The ministry would not condone cases where teachers sneak materials into school compounds to help candidates cheat, she warned.

“This type of conduct will not be tolerated and centre managers are advised to employ full surveillance in their areas of jurisdiction,” said Ms Mohamed, adding that many candidates failed in the last year because teachers exposed them to fake examination papers.

She said the role of centre managers would be expanded to include witnessing the opening of examination scripts to ensure they are intact.

The managers will also be required to work with examination officials to enforce rules, witness the sealing of answer sheets and protect the integrity of the test centres.

Ms Mohamed said the ministry has installed 40 new examination material containers to reduce the distance covered by managers to pick up and return papers.

ENHANCE EFFICIENCY

“The examinations council has also increased its staff to enhance efficiency and has also invested in secure containers at county offices,” she said.

Last year, 1,200 candidates had their results cancelled due to irregularities in nine examination centres.

The Kenya National Examinations Council chief executive, Ms Mercy Karogo, said the preparations would be completed by September 20.

“The inspection of new exam centres is scheduled to take place in June, with a specific emphasis on private schools,” she said, adding that the council was recruiting new assessors for this year’s examinations.

DISCIPLINARY MEASURES

The council chairman, Prof George Magoha, said the marking “will be done within the shortest time possible”.

Teachers Service Commission chief Executive Nancy Macharia said severe disciplinary measures would be taken against any teacher involved in cheating.

She said the commission was currently dealing with 60 cases of teachers suspected of involvement in exam cheating last year and that those found guilty would be punished.

“Some of them, including principals, supervisors and invigilators, are already under interdiction,” she said.