Knec Introduces Three New KCPE Changes Ahead of the 2022 KCPE Examinations
Knec News Today: The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, KCPE, is set to commence tomorrow on Monday at Exactly 8:00 a.m. where hundreds of thousands of pupils will be sitting their final tests of the Primary School level. The KCPE 2021 national exams come three months later than the normal November dates for the tests.
The exams, through the years have always been done in November of every year but this year, they will be administered in March following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that greatly disrupted the education calendar.
The Ministry of Education is trying to do its best to ensure that things return to normalcy. Some of the concerted efforts encompass squeezed term dates, reduced holiday breaks and reduced marking time.
Although the terms have been greatly squeezed to accelerate the transition of learners from one level to the other the pressure had been shifted to teachers and learners who have been forced to go an extra mile to cover the syllabus on time and meet the set deadlines.
However, as the exams start tomorrow, we have received reports of new changes that have been introduced in the KCPE exam room that have not been in existence before.
According to KTN News this afternoon, students will not be allowed to have handkerchiefs, wristwatches and ties in the exam room.
These changes, have been introduced after the pandemic set it to minimize cases of cheating and the centers have had to brief the students on the changes.
KCPE Leakage 2021: Truth about the KNEC KCPE Examinations Leakage this Year
Last year, tension had gripped KCPE candidates after tutors alleged that KNEC lifted the 2020 KCPE’s Social Studies and English exams from two Revision books that had been widely circulated to Class 8 candidates prior to sitting the exams in March 2021.
The candidates, mostly those in private schools had already done the tests in February 2021 after purchasing the books published by Distinction Educational Publishers.
KUPPET and KNUT fault KCPE national exams after leakage allegations rose
“When a similar test is predicted and it appears in the KNEC exams, then it shows there was a leakage. The credibility and reliability of national exams is tarnished,” Sossion told the Nation on Thursday, March 25.
“Even though exams are set from learning material available, KNEC going on to publish the same tests indicates that we have a serious issue with our exam process,” Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary-General, Akelo Misori added.
Exam stakeholders thus raised various questions among them being whether KNEC tendered the publishers to set the exams as well as how the council will rectify the error as schools that had done the tests before now have an added advantage.
The publishers distanced themselves from the scandal, saying that all they do is release tests that are used to analyse the students’ preparedness.
“If KNEC used our content, then we don’t have any issue with them. Our books have been used for the past years,” the director at the company responded.
Education CS George Magoha was adamant that no leakage had occurred while addressing the press on Wednesday, March 24. Magoha had earlier on warned private schools, suppliers, police officers, teachers and students of exams cheating.
“This ministry will not take cheating lightly, and this is why we are sending a warning to all those planning to confuse our children or parents that the full force of the law will be used against those found culpable,” said Magoha.
Education stakeholders said that they would keenly follow the developments to see whether Magoha would take action against KNEC. The council said that it would issue a statement on the matter.
Marking of the 2021-2022 KCPE tests will commence in mid- March, with Magoha shifting focus to the KCSE exams which commenced on Monday, March 14.
