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KCPE, KCSE candidates to sit reset exams in bid to avoid leakage

By OUMA WANZALA October 26th, 2016 2 min read

This year’s national examinations for Class Eight and Form Four were reset, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has said.

Dr Matiang’i told the National Assembly Education Committee chaired by Murang’a Woman Rep Sabina Chege the examinations were reset to avoid any leakage.

He said the development is a departure from the past where the examinations questions used to be set two years in advance.

CREDIBLE EXAMINATIONS

In a closed door meeting, Dr Matiang’i, who was accompanied by his Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, Kenya National Examinations Council chairman George Magoha and acting chief executive officer Mercy Karogo, said the tough measures are aimed at ensuring credible examinations.

He also told the committee that all loopholes had been sealed to ensure there is no leakage, said sources at the meeting.

Early this year, the government restructured the council, including sacking 11 senior officers who were believed to have been involved in the irregularities.

Other changes include national examinations being done when schools have closed, and school heads taking charge of management of examinations in their schools.

Dr Matiang’i told the committee that some of the officers that were kicked out had been directly linked to examination malpractices.

Prof Magoha told the committee that more changes would be effected at the council to ensure that only credible people hold positions there.

BOUGHT CONTAINERS

The CS also disclosed that the government had bought containers for storage of the examination materials.

The lockable dry steel containers will be placed at the deputy county commissioners’ offices.

“Each container will be secured by two padlocks while the access keys will remain in the custody of the deputy county commissioner and sub-county education officer,” said a letter to county commissioners dated October 21 on behalf of Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho.

The 346 containers will be guarded by police.

PRACTICAL SUBJECTS

Already, assessment of practical subjects for candidates sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination is going on.

Subjects that will be assessed include; music, French, German and Kenya Sign language and home science and will take between 15 minutes and one and a half hours.

This is in readiness for written examination that will start on November 7 and run until November 30. Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations are on November 1 to 3.

A total of 577,338 candidates will sit for KCSE examinations in 9,158 centres, while 952,473 candidates will sit for KCPE tests in 26,308 centres across the country.