The Cabinet Secretary for Education George Magoha has issued a directive banning all non-academic events in schools during third term in a bid to curb examination malpractice.
The ban is a reinforcement of previous orders put in place by former Education CS Fred Matiang’i to curb cheating in 2016. Back then, Matiang’i barred candidates from going on mid-term breaks and banned the customary prayer days that were conducted weeks before the examination.
Speaking in Machakos Wednesday, Magoha said: “I want to be crystal clear that nobody in both private and public institutions will be allowed to interfere with the candidates as they prepare for their examination… So there will be no events in schools, no fundraising, no prayers or any other activities.”
“We know that these events have in past been used for other purposes and this is what we are trying to avoid.”
The CS observed that primary and secondary schools will close early to allow standard eight and form four candidates to sit national examinations in November.
He said the month of November will exclusively be an examination month, with the rest of students in primary and secondary schools closing on October 28.
Magoha also warned candidates and teachers from engaging in activities that might amount to examination malpractice.
This year’s KCPE will start from November 1 to 3, while KCSE will run from November 7 to November 30.
