CS Magoha to chair key talks tomorrow, give KCPE and KCSE roadmap

Education CS George Magoha (right) and Education PS Bellio Kipsang addressing the press after inspecting exam containers on September 27. (File, Standard)

Details of this year’s KCPE and KCSE examinations will be laid bare tomorrow at a crisis meeting called to discuss the state of preparedness for the tests.

It is expected that the Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha will give the national examination roadmap, complete with new measures that will be employed in the management of the tests this year.

The details emerged as the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) released examination timetable.

The KCPE tests will start in October 29 and end on October 31, while KCSE examination will kick off on November 1 and run to November 27.

Some 1.7 million candidates have been registered to sit this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.

Knec data shows that 1,089,671 candidates were registered to sit Standard Eight national examination in 28,291 centres across the country. Another 698,935 were registered for the Form Four national examination across 10,304 centres. This brings to 1.78 million the total number of candidates listed to sit this year’s examinations.

Knec Chief Executive Officer Mercy Karogo has invited examination officials, top Ministry of Education officials and regional directors to a meeting chaired by Prof Magoha.

She said representation from the various ministry agencies, teachers’ unions and associations have also been invited.

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) county directors, ministry county directors of education and regional coordinators will attend the meeting. Karogo said the meeting will take place at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD). “The meeting will involve key education stakeholders that include senior officers from the Ministry of Education both from the headquarters and counties,” she said.

Tough times

The meeting comes as Magoha warned of tougher times for cheats during this year’s national examinations.

The CS hinted that the examination cheating cartels are regrouping with the thought that he is no longer the chairman of the exam body.

Speaking recently in Mombasa at a closed-door meeting with top officials of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha), Magoha said there will be no let up in examination credibility.

He said the ministry has closed doors on all cheats, in a move meant to prevent early exam exposures and other malpractices.

“I only request heads to ensure syllabus is covered and completed,” said Magoha. The CS cautioned teachers against over relying on revision questions, saying the examinations will cover the entire syllabus.

Knec Chairman John Onsati said the Council has noted instances where some school heads fail to follow instructions.

“We have had a few cases where in the process of instructions being given, some individuals do not listen. They assume that we shall not be keen and we must remind you that we shall not compromise,” said Dr Onsati.

He said school heads will still wake up to pick examination papers from the safe containers and return them after they are done.

“We want to assure you that nothing will be changed, in fact, we shall improve on what has been the practice. We really do not have much choice. Exams must be done and done well,” said Onsati.