Rise in cheating cases in Nyanza causes concern

By DENNIS ONYANGO

Education stakeholders in Nyanza are a worried lot after 1,545 candidates from the region failed to get results.

The number of affected students formed nearly half of the national tally, which stood at 3,353.

Surprisingly, irregularities shot by nearly 500 per cent compared to the previous year when only 230 students from the area were affected.

Yesterday, Nyanza Parents Association chairman Jackson Ogweno asked the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) to take responsibility for cheating.

“We insist that the students should not be punished. Instead, Knec should tell us where the students got the exams from. They should expose the cartel behind exam leaks,” he said.

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The worst hit counties were Homa Bay and Siaya, where 396 and 374 students respectively were affected.  Kisumu had the results of 239 students withheld while Kisii had 259. Migori had 226 students affected by cases of cheating.

Academic giant

Nyamira County had 51 candidates’ results cancelled. In 2012, the worst hit county was Kisii and Migori, where 185 candidates were affected. Shockingly, Homa Bay, which recorded the largest figures in the 2013 exams, had the results of only three candidates withheld in 2012.

Among national schools that cheated in the region were Maranda Boys that topped the nation in 2012. The school that is known to be an academic giant was not ranked because 23 of its candidates had their results withheld reportedly for cheating in the computer studies exam.

Principal Boaz Owino said the institution would have led nationally had it been ranked.