1,500 penalised as cheaters increase

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi during the release of the 2013 KCPE exam results. Prof Kaimenyi said that results of 1,576 candidates have been cancelled due to irregularities. The number of candidates who cheated in the exams went up by 100 per cent compared to 2012. PHOTO/BILLY MUTAI.  NATION

In Summary

• Results of 1,576 candidates have been cancelled due to irregularities, said Education Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi.
• Prof Kaimenyi ordered county directors of the schools where the cheating occurred to investigate and help stop the vice in the next exams.
• In Central region, some centres whose results were cancelled are in Nyeri and Kirinyaga.
• The capital city county of Nairobi was affected too, as were Rift Valley counties of Turkana, West Pokot, Bomet, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Kericho, Laikipia and Kajiado.

By SAMUEL SIRINGI
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The number of candidates who cheated in the national Standard Eight exams has gone up by 100 per cent compared to 2012.

Results of 1,576 candidates have been cancelled due to irregularities, said Education Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi.

In the previous results, 718 candidates were found to have cheated, which was hailed as a big drop from the 2011 figure of 8,000.

2013 irregularities affected 86 centres, Prof Kaimenyi said when he released the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examination results Tuesday.

Prof Kaimenyi ordered county directors of the schools where the cheating occurred to investigate and help stop the vice in the next exams.

“We will never tolerate cheating in any of our exams,” said Prof Kaimenyi.

The affected candidates would be barred from sitting the tests for three years as per the law, he said.

In all, 19 counties did not record any irregularity, according to the Cabinet Secretary.

He attributed the increase of irregularities to the fact that regulations to guide implementation of stiffer penalties contained in the Kenya National Examinations Council Act, 2012 had not been approved.

The Act has criminalised in examinations and any person found to in violation of the provisions would face prosecution.

The draft regulations for implementation of the law were released last week for discussion by interest groups.

Prof Kaimenyi also blamed the rise in cheating cases to delay in conclusion of cases facing suspects in various courts.

“We shall seek audience with the Chief Justice (Willy Mutunga) to request him to ensure these cases are expedited to discourage candidates from cheating,” he said.

Most of the cases happened in languages and Math.

At the coast, centres affected with irregularities were in Kwale and Mombasa.

In Central region, some centres whose results were cancelled are in Nyeri and Kirinyaga.

In Eastern, cheating was detected in Machakos, Kitui, Meru, Embu and Makueni.

The capital city county of Nairobi was affected too, as were Rift Valley counties of Turkana, West Pokot, Bomet, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Kericho, Laikipia and Kajiado.

Others were Baringo Elgeyo Marakwet, Busia, Bungoma, Kisumu, Kisii, Homa Bay, Nyamira, Migori, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera.

During the examinations, KNEC raised the alarm over the large number of university students involved in the vice after 20 of them were arrested.

Some were from the University of Nairobi, Egerton University, Jomo Kenyatta University, Eldoret University, Kibabii University and Kabianga University.

They are accused of sending exam questions to candidates and teachers in different parts of the country.

In last year’s KCPE, Mombasa County had the highest number of cheaters (109), followed by Nairobi (88), West Pokot (49), Kajiado (45), Samburu (19) and Kiambu (18)