Examination results for some 3,427 students who sat the 2018 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations have been canceled after having been found guilty of examination malpractice.
The Chairman of the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) George Magoha said results for 53 schools were withheld “There was overwhelming evidence that 3,427 candidates in 44 centers were guilty of having been involved in examination irregularities in the 2018 KCSE examinations. The council has made the painful, but necessary, decision to cancel results of these candidates.”
Luckily, another 1,275 students from nine centers in the affected regions have been exonerated after a thorough investigation and their results will be released with immediate effect.
The KNEC boss blamed professionals who were contracted during the examination saying they compromised the future of the students by helping them cheat. “The investigations show that the malpractices took place due to negligence, commission or omission of contracted professionals who did not perform their roles as per the guidelines for management of the 2018 KCSE examination,” he said.
Magoha categorically stated that the examination body is doing all it can to seal all the loopholes that may lead to examination cheating adding that stern actions will be taken against those who compromise its efforts.
“The KNEC wishes to send a strong warning to all examination candidates, schools and the general public that the Council will not condone any form of examination malpractice. As you are aware, there were attempts by some individuals to gain prior access to question papers during the 2018 KCSE examination, but all these efforts were detected and stopped,” he warned. Those whose examinations have been canceled are from 16 counties which include Machakos, Meru, Isiolo, Turkana, West Pokot, Kericho, Narok, Elgeyo Marakwet, Bungoma, Kisumu, Kisii, Homa Bay, Migori, Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera.
KNEC don Magoha has called on those affected to register for this year’s examinations before the deadline which is on February 15.
While releasing last year’s examination results, Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said the outcome was better compared to 2017.
In the outcome, 315 students scored As, an improvement from 142 As in 2017 and students with a university-level qualification of C+ and above hit 90,377 an increase from 70, 073 after the release of the 2018 examination results on December 21 for investigation.
This article was first posted on Capital News.
