Silverio Omari
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has issued a strong warning to anyone attempting to compromise the integrity of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, which began nationwide on Monday.
This year, 965,501 candidates are sitting for the exams across 10,754 centers countrywide. The CS emphasized that strict action will be taken against anyone involved in exam malpractice.
“Anyone caught engaging in exam malpractice will be arrested and prosecuted, be it a student, teacher, parent, or government official,” Ogamba stated while launching this year’s exams in Kibera, Nairobi County. “We are actively monitoring social media and taking action against platforms claiming to have access to exam papers.”
The CS assured the public that all exam papers are secure and dismissed rumors about leaked materials.
While some subjects, such as Home Science and Computer Science, were conducted last week, the main phase of the national exams began on Monday with candidates taking English and Chemistry. New regulations have been implemented this year, requiring supervisors to rotate between centers weekly.
Exam containers will be opened daily at 7 a.m. under strict supervision to prevent early access to exam materials.
Furthermore, Ogamba announced that exam officials would be prohibited from carrying mobile phones during the exams and must hand them over to the supervisor, who will secure them until the end of the session.
“In regions like Tana River, where security was a concern, candidates have been moved to safer locations such as GSU camps. Those impacted by floods have also been well accommodated,” Ogamba added.
Dj Vnyash
