End exam cheating once and for all

Something is very wrong with our examination system.

This came out clearly when the 2015 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination results were released. A total of 937,467 candidates sat for the exam.

Overall, there were 455,221 candidates who crossed the 50 per cent mark.

The most distressing and saddening thing about the KCPE results was the rising cases of examination cheating with reported incidents hitting 2,709 in 111 centres compared to 1,702 in 93 centres in 2014.

This was a shocker although the Education ministry informed us that 157 people, including teachers, police officers and university students, had been arrested and arraigned in court for cheating in exams.

Fortunately for us simple Kenyans, we have Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i who said he was really upset about the numerous cases of irregularities. He read the riot act to the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec), directing a team to do whatever it can to eliminate cheating once and for all.

The truth is, indeed, examination cheating is the highest form of intellectual dishonesty and the council must take a responsibility and ensure the vice is eliminated permanently.

Considering that Knec prepares the examination, we fully agree with Matiang'i that stringent measures must be put in place to end cheating.