KISUMU,Kenya, Mar, 21 – Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha was in Kisumu Central early Monday morning supervising the distribution of examination materials as the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Examination entered week two.
A tough talking Magoha, yet again, denounced claims that the exams have been leaked saying that despite several cases of exam malpractice including several cell phones found in exam centers and even impersonation being reported, ‘early exposure’ of exams is to blame.
“There is no way anybody under this earth can breach the security of that examination very carelessly like some of the pressmen have been saying, it is not acceptable. We know what has been happening,” said Magoha who further noted that,”One or two will connive with security people there and photograph that paper and put on the internet..that is not leakage. That word is repugnant and it is totally unreasonable. Unless there is another narrative which somebody wants to have with regards to the integrity of the exams.
Magoha has now likened those exposing exams to candidates as criminals saying that they will be dealt with according to the law.
“We accept that there are a few crooks or goons among teachers who will attempt to expose the second paper…but if the children are already in the classroom and they just have a window of half and hour between the first and second paper, tell me how that exposure is going to help them…it is actually something that is not very intelligent if not very stupid,” he said.
This past Friday, 42 students from Dibuoro secondary school in Usonga ward, Alego, Siaya county were arrested for engaging in exam malpractices after being caught in possession of four mobile phones containing photographed images of the Chemistry practical paper as well as This past Thursday’s swahili paper.
The Education CS said that amidst the cases of early exposure, the ministry has resolved to ban mobile phones in exam centers saying that only two, belonging to the center manager and one security personnel will be allowed incase of an emergency.
Others including invigilators and supervisors have been advised to leave their phones a home.
“This is the enemy of the examination process for our children and we hope by the time we reach Friday we can relax this rule because all the subjects that matter shall have been done by Friday of this week,”
The Kenya National Examination Council has reiterated that all candidates must be given equal opportunities to sit for their exams under the same conditions.
According to KNEC a total of 831,015 candidates will be sitting for the KCSE 2021 Exam.
The examinations are being administered in 10, 413 examination centres.
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