Knec calls security meeting over exams

A student at Lakewood School in Komarock sits her examinations in 2018. [File, Standard]

Top security and Ministry of Education officials will meet today to plan how to forestall any form of cheating in this year’s national examinations.

Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) acting Chief Executive Officer Mercy Karogo will chair the crucial meeting that comes just days after an investigations report unearthed more than 300 schools plotting to cheat.

Sources also hinted to The Standard that spy agency has been roped in to crack the examination cheating ring.

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha last week said his office had established some school heads were working with few parents to beat security checks in place.

Speaking at Kenya Institute of Special Education, Prof Magoha cautioned KCPE and KCSE candidates against being lured into cheating in examinations by unscrupulous people.

Some 1.8 million candidates will sit KCPE and KCSE exams.

Of these, 1,088,986 will sit KCPE between October 29 and 31. Another 699,745 will sit the KCSE between October 21 and November 27.

Karogo yesterday downplayed today's meeting saying it is a routine planning session.

“We always have these meetings ahead of the national examinations,” said Karogo.

 Sources however reveal that strategies to nab the cheats before executing their plan will be discussed.

A Knec report revealed that some of the Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) regional officials have strategically retained examination officers in the same schools they invigilated last year to aid in cheating.

Also revealed are plans by secondary school teachers to hang around schools when candidates sit papers of subjects they teach.

And for KCPE, some teachers will strategically be retained in schools to mark up the multiple-choice questions for the candidates.

In addition to these, some school heads and parents are already collecting money to aid in early exposure of the test papers.

According to the report, the schemes will be executed in Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Machakos, Meru, Marsabit, Isiolo, Makueni, Nairobi, Turkana, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Bomet, Uasin Gishu, Kericho, Nandi, Kajiado, Nakuru, Baringo, Busia, Bungoma and Kakamega counties.

Others Counties listed are Vihiga, Kisumu, Kisii, Homa Bay, Migori, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Nyeri, Muranga, Kitui, Embu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Siaya and Nyamira.

Magoha however said that the multi-sectoral approach of management, which brings together the Ministries of Education, TSC, Interior and Coordination of National Government and ICT is on an overdrive duty to ensure that no lapses exist this year.

“The script of managing the examinations this year will contain a few enhanced measures aimed at sealing off minor loopholes that criminals attempted to use last year to introduce cheating mainly at the KCSE examination,” said Magoha.

The CS said the Government will extend security surveillance around examination centres beyond the school compounds up to a radius of two kilometres.

“This is based on a discovery last year that some examination materials would be sneaked to teachers’ quarters, kiosks and buildings around some centres,” said Magoha.

Magoha said areas under active surveillance include structures and buildings within and around schools.