Teachers from Gucha and Sameta sub counties in Kisii County gathered at Tendere Secondary School for a crucial briefing ahead of the upcoming national examinations.
The event, which was attended by primary, junior, and secondary school heads, was led by Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) officers Maureen Salim and Pharis Baaru.
With the examination season fast approaching, the session focused on the administration of the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA), and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
The briefing served as a comprehensive guide for school administrators, outlining key dates, procedures, and new changes to the examination process.
Baaru, one of the lead officers from KNEC, emphasized the importance of meticulous preparation, urging school principals to take their roles as center managers seriously.
He noted that as the custodians of the examination process, principals were reminded played a critical role in ensuring the integrity and smooth administration of the exams.
The first exam on the calendar, the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), will be administered to Grade 6 students.
The exams are scheduled to begin on 28th October, with candidates required to go through rehearsals on 25th October.
During the three-day exam period, which will conclude on 30th October, candidates will sit for their papers starting at 8:30 a.m. with the last session ending at 12:10 p.m. each day.
To ensure the smooth collection and distribution of examination papers, containers will be opened at 6 a.m. daily, allowing schools ample time to receive their materials before the exams commence.
The Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA), which is set to start on 28th October and run until 31st October, is aimed at learners in the intermediate level who are transitioning to the pre-vocational stage.
As with KPSEA, students will be required to attend rehearsals a day earlier, on 27th October, to familiarize themselves with the examination environment and procedures.
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), the most anticipated exam for secondary school students, will begin with rehearsals on 18th October with oral exams set to kick off on 22nd October, while the written papers will commence on 31st October.
The KCSE examination period is expected to run for almost a month, concluding on 22nd November.
A significant portion of the briefing was dedicated to outlining new measures and security protocols for this year’s exams.
One of the most notable changes is that KCSE exam papers will be packaged in colour-coded cartons-blue straps, for the morning session and black straps for the afternoon session.
“This new packaging system aims to eliminate confusion during the collection of exam materials from the containers,” emphasized Baaru, a step KNEC believed would streamline the process and prevent delays.
Additionally, the exam question papers will now contain student details, including their names and index numbers, a change that is expected to reduce the chances of exam malpractice.
“In previous years, only answer sheets had such information, while question papers were generic,” Baaru explained, adding that the modification was aimed at curbing impersonation and other forms of cheating, ensuring that each student received the correct paper.
Security at examination centers will also be tightened; mobile phones will be completely banned from the examination centers.
Unlike in past years where phones belonging to teachers and other staff were placed under the supervision of the center manager, this year they will be kept in a locker managed by the center supervisor.
This change applies not only to teachers but also to supervisors, invigilators, and even security personnel.
Salim said that for the KPSEA exams, security officers would only be required during the transportation of exam materials to and from the exam centers.
“Once the materials are inside the examination rooms, no security officers will be stationed there,” she stated.
In contrast, KCSE centers will have two security officers assigned to each center throughout the entire examination period.
Another important update is the shift to online attendance forms, which will replace the manual declaration forms previously used.
The online forms will not only serve to record attendance but will also be used to generate payments for examination officers.
“This digitization effort is part of KNEC’s broader strategy to streamline the examination process and reduce paperwork that is prone to error and omission,” Salim said.
The briefing also addressed the logistical challenges of handling examination materials with school principals, who act as center managers during the exams, being reminded that containers housing the exam papers would be opened at 7 a.m. for KCSE, allowing enough time for the distribution of the first session’s papers which will run from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.
After the morning session, the answer scripts must be returned to the container by 12:30 p.m. to facilitate the collection of materials for the afternoon session, which will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Salim urged sub-county Directors of Education to prioritize schools located farther from the collection centers to ensure that they have enough time to receive their exam materials and begin their sessions on time. This is particularly important for rural schools, which may face logistical difficulties due to long distances and poor road conditions.
The list of accredited personnel allowed inside examination centers was also clearly outlined during the briefing.
In addition to the center manager and deputy principal, only invigilators, cooks and gatekeepers would be permitted in the examination centers. Science teachers and lab technicians would only be permitted during practical papers.
Salim said this step is intended to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing examination materials or influencing the exam process.
Teachers were reminded of their role in preparing students both academically and psychologically for the exams.
While the content of the exams is designed to test the curriculum, it was stressed that students should be encouraged to approach the exams with confidence.
“The exams are not hard,” Baaru reassured the teachers, urging them to be a positive influence on their students and to avoid creating unnecessary anxiety around the process.
As the briefing came to a close, Gucha Sub-County Director of Education David Akhalea assured the teachers that they would have the full support of the Education Office throughout the examination period.
He noted that all necessary preparations had been made, and the sub-county was ready to administer the exams efficiently and fairly.
Representatives from the security agencies present at the briefing also pledged their commitment to ensuring the safety and integrity of the examination process.
Gucha Assistant County Commissioner Charles Korir took the opportunity to wish the candidates the best of luck, encouraging them to put their best foot forward and reminding them that this was a stepping stone to their future.
With just weeks to go before the start of the exams, the teachers left the briefing feeling reassured that the necessary measures had been put in place to ensure a smooth examination period.
The planning, stringent security measures, and clear guidelines laid out by KNEC reflected the Council’s commitment to upholding the integrity of Kenya’s national exams and ensuring that every candidate gets a fair opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
By Misheba Alfred
