Anomalies emerge in KCSE examination

?? Principal Secretary, State department for University Education, Ministry of Education Professor Collette Suda overseeing KCSE, English Paper 2 examination at Bahati Girls High School in Nakuru on November 8, 2016 during an impromptu visit. PHOTO:KIPSANG JOSEPH

The ongoing Form Four national examination was temporarily delayed across the country after it emerged that one of the papers had anomalies.

Students who were sitting the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Kiswahili Paper Two had to seek assistance from their invigilators for clarification.

It emerged the paper had three questions which had anomalies, which were blamed on the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec).

According to a senior education officer who declined to be named, officials from Knec had to be called after students pointed out the 'screaming' anomalies.

"In one of the questions, the students were to refer to a statement that was supposed to be underlined but on checking, there was nothing of the sort," said the source.

In another question, according to the official, there were glaring spelling mistakes that confused the students forcing them to seek the assistance of invigilators.

 ENOUGH SPACE

The official said that the situation worsened after it emerged that there was no enough space to fill in answers.

"Officials from Knec were informed and they advised the students to use foolscaps to address the space anomaly," said a source.

But as the students were winding up, the examination body issued another directive that the students transfer all the material back to available space on the examination paper.

"The students were given only five minutes to transfer the material and this was very unfair as many did not manage to do this," said the official.

A teacher who also spoke on condition of anonymity, lashed out at the examination body, saying they expected poor performance in the Kiswahili paper.

The teacher said the questions and directives from Knec had further confused students who had prepared for the paper for months.

"There were conflicting directives from mainly the examination body and this affected the confidence of some candidates," he said.