TIGHT SECURITY IN PLACE AHEAD OF MONDAY EXAMS

Aga Khan High School KCSE candidates converse after sitting for their Biology Paper 1 exam on October 15, 2015 in Mombasa. KCSE exams will begin on November 1. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By OUMA WANZALA

Assessment of practical subjects for candidates sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination will start Monday, with security measures to curb malpractices put in place.

Subjects that will be assessed include: Music, French, German, Kenya Sign language and Home Science and will take between 15 minutes to one and a half hours.

This is in readiness for written examinations that will begin from November 7 to 30, while Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination will start on November 1 and end on 3.

Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) acting Chief Executive Officer Mercy Karogo said the council is ready for the exercise.

“I want to wish them well and they will do well. Measures have been put in place to ensure that candidates sit the examination at the appropriate time.”

Ms Karogo said armed security officers will be deployed in all areas where test materials will be stored, administered and when on transit.

“Good management of national examinations will depend on the integrity of the personnel involved in supervision and invigilation since they are in direct contact with the candidates,” she said.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i also said that the government had put in place measures to ensure credible examination.

“I will be coming before this committee to brief it on measures we have taken in relation to the administration of national examinations this year,” Dr Matiang’i told National Assembly Education Committee chaired by Emuhaya MP Wilbur Otichilo.

Mr Otichilo asked the government to ensure that malpractices that happened last year do not recur.

Training of field officers to oversee the examinations was concluded on Friday.

A total of 577,338 candidates will sit for the KCSE exams in 9,158 centres while 952,473 candidates will sit for the KCPE test in 26,308 centres across the country.

Ms Karogo said the government is taking examinations issues seriously as it has declared it a national security matter and called on stakeholders to support the efforts.

Last year, results for 5,101 KCSE and 2,000 KCPE candidates were cancelled for being involved in examination malpractices, leading to the sacking of senior managers of Knec.

The government has purchased and delivered 346 containers to all sub-counties for safe-keeping of examination materials.

The containers will be heavily guarded by police and it is only the sub-county commissioner and county directors of education who will have keys to the containers, therefore, limiting the contact of the police with the materials.

Head teachers and principals will be required to collect exam materials from the facilities and later return the answer scripts to the facilities on a daily basis.

Previously, armouries at police stations were used to store the materials.

Two police officers were among 171 people arrested and charged for engaging in examination irregularities.

“We know students are innovative and each year they devise new tricks of cheating. Due to tight measures put in place they will definitely come up with other tricks which must be arrested before they take place,” Ms Karogo said.

All teachers will remain in school during exams to supplement their bosses.
SOURCE: NATION MEDIA