Ministry silent over withheld KCSE test results

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i delivers his speech during the launch of Nasaha ya Kamusi at the Kenya Literature Bureau in Nairobi on December 13, 2017. At least 10 schools have not received their KCSE exam results. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Dr Matiang’i mentioned that one the casualties was a school in Rift Valley.
  • Students from schools in the spotlight over claims of engaging in exam malpractices, were yet to receive their results.

The details of 10 schools whose results for this year’s Form Four national examination were withheld over malpractices remained scanty with the Ministry of Education declining to identify them.

It however emerged that two schools in Nakuru County had not received their 2017 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.

As 611,952 candidates sat the exam at 9,701 centres countrywide last month, more than 10 cases of malpractices were reported in several schools.

A source who sought anonymity told the Nation on Thursday that students from the two schools, which were in the spotlight over claims of engaging in exam malpractices, were yet to receive their results.

Teachers at the schools were also linked to leakage of the exam to their students.

At least nine mobile phones were confiscated from the candidates.

SUICIDE
While releasing the results on Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i mentioned that one the casualties was a school in Rift Valley whose principal, after confiscating phones from students, dipped them in a bucket of water to conceal evidence.

Five candidates who were caught engaging in exam malpractices were disqualified.

Meanwhile, the girl who committed suicide in Migori County by jumping into a well after she failed to score to her expectation in the KCSE had wanted to study medicine or engineering at the university.

BETTER GRADE
Friends of Carren Ouma, who had made two attempts at the exam but got the same C- grade, say the girl had a great desire to join university.

“She had high hopes in life,” a friend who called herself Atieno and who grew up with Carren in Osingo village, Suna East Sub-County, said.

Area chief Mwai Odila said the girl had repeated classes to get a better grade.

“She was a very calm and collected girl,” said another villager, Mr Tom Onyango.

PRESSURE
On Thursday, the police blamed Carren’s parents for exerting too much pressure on her to pass the exam.

Migori County Police Commander Joseph Nthenge said police suspected the girl may have been reprimanded for not passing.

The parents however denied the accusations.

The girl’s mother, Ms Mary Ouma, told reporters amid sobs:

“She became nervous immediately she heard that results had been released. But it never occurred to us that she would commit suicide a few hours later.”