A committee has been formed to work with the County Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to investigate circumstances under which a private school in Uasin Gishu County was allowed to administer fake Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) examinations to 23 students.
Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Edyson Nyale said education officials in Turbo sub-county were also being investigated to establish if they colluded with the school to administer the fake exams.
Dr. Nyale said the school, Silver Bells Academy, was operating illegally inside a residential home with more than 230 pupils.
The school is not registered and was identified as one of those to be closed down in 2019 because the environment it was operating in was not conducive. It was also not registered as an examination centre by the Kenya national examination council, KNEC.
“Unfortunately, no follow-up was done to establish if the school was closed down as directed,” he said.
He added that internal administrative action against education officials involved in the malpractice has been initiated: “Administrative action, including show cause letters or suspension from duty, will be taken against any education officers found culpable.”
Last Wednesday, security officials, accompanied by education and KNEC officials, raided the school, where they found the 23 candidates taking examinations that turned out to be photocopies of the 2023 exams.
According to the County Commissioner, the school’s director, headteacher, and fraternity members were arrested.
Dr. Nyale took issue with parents whom he said no longer took a kin interest in the education of their children. “As a parent, before you enrol your child in a school, particularly a private school, make due diligence to ensure it is registered with the Ministry of Education and ensure the environment is conducive to learning.”
The County Director of Education, John Gitonga Thiringi, said in consultation with the parents, all the 230 pupils will be placed in a school of their choice when schools reopen in January 2025.
By Kiptanui Cherono
