Magoha declares examination leak-free as pupils sit last test
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has declared the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam that concluded yesterday leakage-free.
He said preliminary observations indicated minimal instances of attempted cheating in an exercise that saw 1,088,986 students sit the exam.
“None of the exam papers, even a single question, was leaked. All candidates were able to see contents of the exams at the start of each paper. You can, therefore, expect all the candidates will actually receive grades that belong to them,” said the CS.
He made the remarks at Ayany Primary School in Kibera area, upon completion of this year’s exams.
Saying cases of exam malpractices have been reducing significantly, Magoha, however, stated there were some cheating attempts at three centres—Nyandarua, West Pokot and Garissa counties.
“Action was taken swiftly before any cheating happened. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has also taken action...We have no sympathy for doing something wrong so the full force of the law will take charge even if others are detected during marking,” he said.
The decision to extend security surveillance to up to two kilometres of each centre, said the CS, is bearing fruit, a situation he said assisted in detecting attempted cheating in Nyandarua.
Consequently, five KCPE officials in West Pokot County were arrested and are being held at Kacheliba Police Station for allegedly engaging in exam malpractices.
West Pokot county Commissioner, Apollo Okello said a teacher, Vincent Lorma was caught taking pictures of science question paper in the exam room using his mobile phone at Kapterema Primary School in Pokot North sub-county.
Okello said no teacher was allowed to be in the school compound during exam period, even as he questioned how the culprit sneaked into the exam room.
“Teachers are not allowed in schools during exam period, only centre managers who are head teachers are in charge. We are investigating who allowed him and why he was taking photos in the exam rooms,” Okello said.
Those arrested with the teacher were centre manager Flora Soprin, the supervisor John Limangura, invigilator Godfrey Ochieng and the national police reservist Longolekau Lonyangiro, who was manning the school.
In Bungoma, two candidates did not sit their exam after their names went missing from the official register.
Further preliminary findings indicated the number of reported cases of births by candidates during this year’s KCPE were significantly low, having recorded less than 10.
Some 20 examination centres started examinations a bit late on the first and second days owing to delays in delivery of the examination materials.
The delays were due to few logistical problems connected to choppers operations.
“Through the Interior Ministry, we enjoyed availability of police helicopters as and when required and were allowed to put 12 helicopters on standby and should there have been need, KDF choppers would have been availed,” he said.
Magoha said examination officials strictly enforced measures meant to ensure the security of the exam from the container to examination centres.
“All centre managers travelled in designated vehicles and were escorted by security as directed. This helped to stamp out the cases of early exposure that were reported in some areas last year. I thank all officials for enforcing the measures,” said the CS.
