Machogu assures Kenyans on exams
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu yesterday assured Kenyans of the government’s commitment to delivering credible national examinations this year.
Machogu said the Grade Six, Standard Eight and Form Four exams will be administered with the highest level of integrity and that no form of exam irregularities will be encouraged.
Similarly, he said the examinations have not leaked and asked exam administrators to be vigilant.
Speaking when he held meetings with education stakeholders, including school heads and union officials from Kisumu and Kisii counties, the CS urged parents and the school heads to shun conmen who claim they have leakages to assist their children.
“Do the right thing for the examination to come out well. As much as we want our children to get good results, we cannot force it,” Machogu said at Kisii High School.
The CS, accompanied by Principal Secretary Julius Jwan and Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) Chief Executive Officer David Njegere said more than three million candidates, directed school heads and examination managers to ensure the exams are not exposed before time, stressing those who will interfere with the examination will take personal responsibility.
“We have devised a system where even security officers will write reports on the opening of the examinations,” Machogu said, adding that candidates will see the papers for the first time when they are opened.
The government has engaged various agencies, including experts in cybercrime and the communication authority to monitor those who will attempt to engage in exam malpractices.
Machogu urged handlers of the examinations to report messages related to the exams sent to their phones to security officers for action.
“This time round we want to give Kenyans the assurance that the integrity process of the exams will not be compromised; everything will be credible,” Machogu said.
Exam preparedness
On the exams preparedness, Machogu said all was set for the exercise which kicks off on November 28. He said exam materials have been dispatched to the 493 distribution and storage centres across the country.
“We are here to give an assurance to the entire country that we are well prepared for this year’s examination. This is an assignment that the entire government agency is keenly following,” the CS said, adding that adequate security personnel will be deployed to police exam centres.
At the same time, the CS allayed fears over the division among education players regarding the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The initial report of CBC will be handed over to the president, with recommendations indicating where the grades seven and eight will be domiciled
“I appeal to the stakeholders in education not to be very anxious over the transition of learners under the new curriculum. When schools reopen in January next year our children will be able to know whether they will be domiciled in primary or secondary following the recommendations made in the final report of the task force,” he added.
Meanwhile, Eastern Regional Commissioner Evans Achoki has warned those who may be planning to engage in exam malpractices, saying they will face the law.
While addressing the press in his office in Embu town, Achoki noted that they had put all mechanisms to ensure no cheating in the forthcoming exams which are set to begin next week.
“It is going to be very difficult to cheat during this nationals exams, if you cheat we will easily detect that there is cheating somewhere and stern action will be taken against the perpetrators,” warned Achoki.
The commissioner urged officials manning the exams to ensure that the exams are well managed and administered according to the law.
“We want to administer credible exams, an examination that would reflect the true ability of our students,” he stated.
Further, he called on parents not to be lured to tricks of losing theirs by individuals promising to provide leakages for their candidates saying no such actions will see light in the region.
Achoki assured all candidates sitting for KCSE, KPSEA and KCPE examinations of tight security during the period of the three national exams so that they can take their exams without any form of interference.
The administrator stated that enough security officers have been deployed across the Region to beef up security ahead of the kick-off of the exams.
Reports by Noven Owiti, Robert Ochoro and Brian Malila
