Link between exam fraud and fires explored

Teachers from other school view destroyed property inside a burnt dormitory at Malindi High School in Kilifi County on Thursday 21st July 2016. Property worth Millions of shillings was destroyed after the School Library and one of the dorms were burnt down. [Photo/Kelvin Karani/Standard]

It has now emerged that parents pay as much as Sh10,000 to buy examination materials for their children.

Revelations into the raging school fires in secondary schools shows that a major panic has hit principals who had collected millions of shillings to procure papers as the government sealed all examination-cheating loopholes.

Former principals who spoke to The Standard on Saturday confessed the existence of examination-cheating cartels that have blossomed over the years, now stifled by the strict examination reforms. A principal who retired from teaching service three years ago confessed that for a long time, school heads obtained “possible examination questions” ahead of time, which they used to coach students.

“By July, students will have been taken through the likely topics that would be tested and schools pay for it,” said the principal, who asked not be named for fear of victimisation.

Speaking yesterday, another principal said the examination issue is a topic “only discussed in hushed tones”.

“You will never find a single person talking about it but there is a lot of tension among those who had collected money and some parents are aware,” he said. The newly-constituted Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) chaired by Prof George Magoha ordered generation of a fresh set of questions different from the ones previously sent to the printer.

The test development process, which came into effect a few weeks after Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i dissolved the old board,  was highly restricted as most Knec staff were not involved.

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary General Akelo Misori yesterday challenged boards of management to come clean on the examination cheating scam.

“Many boards are aware that this money is being paid to abet cheating. This is perhaps why there are a lot of disquiet in many schools because they had paid it in part or fully to the cartels yet they cannot deliver because Knec has sealed off all avenues,” said Misori.

Foolproof examinations

Misori said some teachers are victims of schemes they are not part of. A senior Ministry of Education official said there is evidence to show that parents contribute money annually disguised as ‘motivation fees’, which is used to procure examination papers.

Yesterday, Prof Magoha said Knec will not be drawn into schools’ management issues but dismissed merging of examination centres as a point of friction.

“Our mandate is about delivering foolproof credible examinations for Standard Eight and Form Four candidates and that we shall do,” he said. These shocking revelations confirm the findings of a preliminary report released this week by Matiang’i. The background report on schools unrest tabled in the Senate by the Education CS cites “examination cheating rackets out to disrupt expected new plans of managing national examinations in 2016”. Responding to questions fielded by the Senate Education Committee members, Matiang’i said some schools are burning because of “claims that principals failed to facilitate last year’s Form Four candidates to access leaked examinations papers”.

Senators had demanded to know the possible causes of school unrest, the number of schools affected and steps taken by the ministry to contain the menace.

National Assembly Education Committee Chairperson Sabina Chege said some heads would be looking for escape routes for failing to deliver leaked papers.

“Probably parents would demand explanations on the monies. But causes of arson are also varied and we need proper investigations and perpetrators imprisoned because that is the gap,” Ms Chege said.

A nationwide audit by Future of Kenya Foundation, a civil society organisation, reveals that parents pay as low as Sh3,000 depending on the size of the school.

“Parents pay this money to facilitate this process and we have evidence. We have spoken to former teachers, parents and some school management board members who have confirmed this is the major trigger of unrests,” said Cyprian Nyamwamu, the foundation director.

“We have concrete evidence of a well-organised cartel. Examination racket is the underlying trigger of unrests and principals and school administrations are working with them. We shall supply all the evidence,” said Nyamwamu. A joint statement released by Ministry of Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Matiang’i listed senior officials from both ministries and Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

The team is mandated to investigate all the cases of school fires reported this year and make recommendations on measures to ensure high standards of discipline within 30 days.

“The report should clearly spell out individuals or parties that will be held responsible for the school fires,” said Matiang’i.

It also emerged that accountability gaps in some institutions is pushing schools to conceal their trails. “Some principals who have been stealing school resources are aiding in burning schools to cover their tracks,” he said. Nyamwamu questioned why the fires reported in about 90 schools had no causalities.

 Inspector General Joseph Boinnet says 91 schools affected by fire incidents, 99 students arrested and five teachers arrested in the passt three months. He warned students their careers would be in jeopardy for involving themselves in crime. Yesterday, Matiang’i said he will not bend rules to allow students to cheat in examinations.

At a meeting called on Wednesday to discuss the school fires menace in Kisii, some stakeholders said new examination regulations could be creating fear of failure in students, staff and parents in the upcoming exams.

But speaking during a prize award day at Kisii High school, Matiang’i said he had been embarrassed by the recent school fires but would not relent in his fight to reform education.