CS Magoha warns teachers over KCSE leakage

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha and Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan during the official opening of the KCSE examination container and distribution of the examination papers in Homa Bay town on April 7, 2021. [James Omoro, Standard]

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has warned that teachers and security officers who perpetrate irregularities in the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination risk losing their jobs.

Magoha said his ministry had discovered that some teachers still make attempts of leaking examination questions to candidates.

Speaking in Homa Bay where he was accompanied by Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan and County Director of Education Fredrick Kiiru during the opening of the examination container, Magoha said government officers are alert in ensuring the credibility of the tests.

 Magoha said they had come across a KCSE candidate who was allowed by examination officials to enter an exam room with a smartphone on Tuesday this week.

The student was taking pictures of examination questions and sending them to someone who was answering and sending the answers back.

The CS said the student was arrested and will be arraigned in court on Wednesday afternoon. However, the student will continue doing the examination in police custody.

He said those in charge at the examination centre and supervisors will also face disciplinary actions.

The CS said they will not allow anybody to interfere with the integrity of the examination.

“Why would a centre manager and officials manning the examination collude on allowing such irregularities to take place? Disciplinary actions will be taken against them and their ill behaviour puts their jobs at risk,” Magoha said.

He warned teachers and parents to avoid being gullible to being lured into the acquisition of fake examination materials. So far, the ministry has confiscated more than 800 fake examination papers.