By Felix Olick
Nairobi, Kenya: Examination irregularities declined significantly in last year’s KCPE, compared to previous years.
Only 718 candidates in 41 examination centres were involved in the malpractice as compared to 7,967 cases in 2011.
This translates to more than 90 per cent decline in the number of candidates who were involved in cheating.
“Out of 811,930 candidates who sat for 2012 KCPE in 22,786 examination centres across the country, only 718 or 0.09 per cent of the candidates in 41 examination centres were involved in irregularities,” said Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo.
Mutula said that 19 out of 47 counties had no candidates involved in the malpractice. In 2011, only four counties, Nyeri, Turkana, Laikipia and Busia had no candidate involved in examination irregularities.
Imprisonment or fine
Mutula attributed the sharp decline in irregularities to establishment of the punitive and strict Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) Act.
“The enactment of the KNEC Act, 2012 on October 19 last year contributed immensely to the reduction in cheating that we are witnessing today,” said the Minister.
According to the new law, a person found with examination papers or information purporting to relate to the content of any paper is liable to ten years imprisonment or a fine of Sh2 million.
Similarly, a candidate found cheating in national examinations should be disqualified from taking the entire test and banned from sitting similar examinations for a period of three years. Mutula said 88 persons, including candidates and teachers, were arrested and charged in court after contravening the new law.
“In 2011 examinations, only 14 persons were charged in court, a fact that goes to show that Knec ACT, 2012 is fully in force,” he emphasised.
The minister warned against collusion by school and examination authorities. He noted that in one incident last year, a head teacher sent responses to invigilators via SMS with instructions to pass the responses to candidates.
“Such action by a person placed in position of authority as a head teacher is unacceptable and criminal,” Mutula maintained.
He ordered County Directors of Education to ensure cheating in examinations is whipped out.
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