KCSE & KCPE 2020/2021 Knec News: First, KCPE leakage, and now KCSE Exam cheats? Could KCSE and KCPE cheating rings that were collapsed in 2016 be creeping back to water down Knec Credibility?
Latest updates on the recently concluded KCPE 2020 and the ongoing KCSE 2020 Knec national exams demonstrate a worrying trend in as far as cheating cartels that were collapsed four years ago are concerned.
It seems that the national exams cheating cartels are slowly making their come-back, threatening to hinder the continuous implementation of major reforms rolled out by former Education CS Dr. Matiang’i in 2016 to safeguard the credibility of the national tests.
Early Exposure of KCPE, KCSE questions papers to candidates
The new cheating circle has invented a new way that is now targeting early exposure of the knec question papers to candidates once the scripts leave the safety of the installed knec containers at the sub-county offices.
The current Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha recently noted that the daring cartels do sneak out question papers which they disseminate to varsity students for mass circulation.
List of schools on Magoha’s watchlist for KCSE 2020/2021 exam irregularities, cheating
According to Magiha, at least 30 schools across the country are currently under thorough investigation in connection with the new examination leakage plans.
This piece of information has caused jitters among candidates, leaving others who will be obviously disadvantaged disillusioned.
The reports indicate a greater magnitude of the vice, cheating in exams barely three days into the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination tests.
Counties on CS Magoha’s watchlist over Cheating in this year’s KCSE Knec Exams
Magoha said among these are three schools in Nyamira County and other three in Banisa, Mandera County.
He also said that a known school in Kakamega is being investigated for alleged examination irregularities.
Schools in Isebania and Migori have also been put under watch.
Yesterday, the CS said an invigilator was arrested at a centre in Migori County after sharing some of the questions that had been sneaked out before the scheduled time.
“The invigilator is now in the custody of police officers and will be in court to face criminal charges,” said Magoha.
The CS said that security operatives are already pursuing the persons behind the ring and cautioned schools that those found culpable will have their results cancelled.
The tough-talking Magoha seemed to be pointing at a well-planned scheme keen to dent the credibility of the tests, eroding the gains registered since 2017 when the old Kenya National Examination (Knec) board was disbanded.
“Nobody should ever imagine that in this day and age, you will do what you used to do many years ago.
“We shall ensure that the sanctity of these examinations is restored,” said Magoha.
The new threat to cheat by sneaking out examination questions however points at a collusion between government officials entrusted with the papers.
From the containers, each principal is handed the question papers, and each vehicle manned by a security officer.
The early exposure scheme means that principals, security officers, drivers, and examination officials who accompany the examination papers from the containers to the schools must be working together to facilitate the vice.
“Those trying so hard to corrupt the examination system have a choice.
“But we shall have no mercy whether you are a teacher or a security agent,” said Magoha.
The use of university students and teachers to cheat was unearthed in 2018 when the examinations were being sneaked and done in special rooms by university students and teachers who are subject experts.
In some schools, the examination centres converted staff houses, classrooms, or offices into command centres.
