The Ministry of Education will present the list of teachers who were behind some of the examination malpractices in the just concluded Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) 2020 Examinations to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for action.
Education Cabinet Secretary (CS), Prof. George Magoha, noted that during the exams, some education officials attempted to open the papers with the intention of exposing them to candidates.
He said the offence led to the arrest of at least 27 officials who were relieved of their duties as Centre Managers, Supervisors or Invigilators over allegations of violating regulations guiding the administration of examinations.
“I can confidently announce to the Country that none of the 2020 KCSE Examination papers was leaked, save for the unethical early exposure of questions, which was firmly dealt with and did not benefit any of the candidates,” he added.
Others arrested for attempting to engage in examination irregularities were 37 civilians, including three University students and two Businessmen.
Prof. Magoha said the education team also managed to confiscate at least 53 cell phones from candidates at examination rooms during the exercise, adding that the security agencies are busy conducting thorough forensic investigations to find out if the gadgets were used to aid any form of cheating
The CS was speaking at the Nairobi School, today, where he witnessed the last KCSE 2020 practical examination paper in the Arts and Design examination, which is one of the elective subjects and also officiated over the launch of the KCSE 2020 marking exercise.
He said he was delighted that the examination which started on March 26, 2021 and taken four weeks has come to a flawless completion in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are all proud and happy to congratulate the 752,891 candidates who sat this examination that is expected to open doors to their progress to various careers,” said Magoha.
He commended teachers who participated in the process of administering the examination as Centre Managers, Supervisors and Invigilators, saying that more than 99.9 per cent of contracted professionals and centre managers did their job with 100 per cent precision.
The CS at the same time thanked the National Monitoring Team members comprising the Ministry of Education, Teachers Service Commission, Kenya National Examinations Council and other Ministries and Departments, who participated in the exercise to ensure the examination process was not only smooth but also credible.
He said the Ministry’s decision to work with the public in the management of the examinations proved to be a game changer, as citizens volunteered critical leads that helped educational officials pre-empt cases of irregularities in some parts of the country.
The CS said the marking of the KCSE examination papers will be a meticulous process that will be conducted by experienced examiners, as the Ministry is determined to ensure grades awarded to learners are all merited and that academic qualifications are beyond reproach.
Regarding the application for 9,000 Elimu Scholarship Opportunities, the Prof. Magoha announced that government will award the scholarships to needy and vulnerable 2020 KCPE candidates, including those from informal settlements and urban slums.
Prof. Magoha said the Ministry has launched the application process for all legible candidates and urged all the 2020 KCPE candidates wishing to be considered for the Elimu Scholarship Programme to apply through the online portal https://egfdmis.equitybank.co.ke/.
The CS said the government has contracted the Equity Group Foundation to assist in the selection process, to ensure the exercise is fair and transparent.
By Bernadette Khaduli
