The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has announced significant changes to the Kenya Secondary School Education (KCSE) exam papers, effective from this year’s edition.
KNEC CEO David Njengere said the new measures are designed to enhance exam integrity and reduce instances of malpractice.
During a meeting at Mitihani House, Njengere announced that the exam papers for students sitting for the 2024 KCSE will be customized. These papers will include pre-printed names, index numbers, and other personal details of the candidates.
As a result, any malpractice by individual candidates will not lead to the punishment of an entire school or examination center.
Njengere explained that the introduction of personalized exam papers will address issues of impersonation, a rare but concerning form of exam malpractice.
“What we are saying is that we shall personalize the examination papers so that each candidate will have their details already printed. This means that in case of malpractices, we shall ask the candidate why they allowed their paper to be used by someone else,” said Njengere.
As part of these measures, there will be no extra answer sheets or question papers available at the examination centers. This decision aims to eliminate the potential for cheating and ensure a fair testing environment.
Additionally, Njengere highlighted that the new system will also prevent principals from photocopying exam papers, a practice that has been reported in some instances.
To further secure the integrity of the exams, the section of the paper containing the candidate’s details will be torn off and packed separately after each exam. This procedure will help prevent examiners from identifying candidates during the marking process.
The council has also addressed logistical changes for private candidates. Unlike previous years, when private candidates sat their theory papers at sub-county headquarters, they will now be required to sit these papers at the county headquarters. This adjustment aims to streamline the examination process and enhance oversight.
Furthermore, KNEC has made it clear that only registered candidates will be permitted to take the exams, and they will only be allowed to sit for the subjects they have officially registered for.
This policy change is designed to ensure that all participants are properly accounted for and to maintain the examination’s credibility.
“We gave you two months to register candidates, and we even did a campaign where we met all center managers and informed them of these innovations.
“We, therefore, expect that all candidates’ details were captured accurately at the registration stage and there will be no room for excuses,” Njengere said.
