The Ministry of Education is working closely with the Legal Justice system to expedite the conclusion of cases involving examination malpractices.
Basic Education PS, Dr. Belio Kipsang, speaking in Nyeri after supervising the distribution of the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examinations (KCSE), said that the Ministry is working with the investigating agencies and the courts to ensure that justice is delivered in the shortest time possible.
The move, according to the PS, will deter anyone from attempting to engage in examination malpractices in the one week that is remaining before the 2024 KCSE national examinations are concluded.
“This time, we are going to work closely with the Criminal Justice System, including our courts so that the cases involving the few people who are trying to play games with exams are fast tracked and that justice is delivered in the shortest time possible,” said the PS.
Since the national examination started on October 22, the ministry has recorded 11 cases of attempted exam cheating from the counties of Uasin Gishu, Homa Bay and Siaya counties.
So far 30 people including invigilators and teachers have been arrested and arraigned in various courts for their involvement in exam malpractice.
While emphasizing the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that the exam integrity is upheld, Dr. Kipsang reiterated that this time round, individuals found culpable of engaging in exam malpractices will be dealt with independently.
He said that as part of the security measures that the ministry had undertaken to further secure the examinations, the Kenya National Examination Council had personalized the examination papers to ease the tracking process in the event of an irregularity.
“Cases of malpractice are about individuals and as our Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said, we are not going to do blanket things like cancel the whole exam of a school.
This time and going forward, the responsibility will be at a personal level, therefore, we shall narrow down on the individual for them to take responsibility,” stated Dr. Kipsang.
This year, a total of 20,363 candidates are writing the KCSE in Nyeri in 237 centres. Out of these 10,092 are male while 10,271 are female. There are 678 private candidates.
The last day of examination this year will be November 22 when the candidates sit the Physics Practical paper.
By Wangari Mwangi
