Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has issued a strong warning to anyone trying to compromise the integrity of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, which began nationwide on Monday.
This year, 965,501 candidates are registered to take the exam across 10,754 centers throughout the country. While subjects like Home Science and Computer Science were distributed last week, Monday marked the official commencement of the national examination exercise, with candidates sitting for their English and Chemistry papers.
According to the CS, severe consequences await those who engage in malpractice. “Anyone found participating in exam malpractice will be arrested and prosecuted, whether they are a student, teacher, parent, or government official,” the minister stated.
CS Ogamba also emphasized that the government is actively monitoring social media and taking action against sites claiming to provide access to examination papers.
He confirmed that all examination papers are secure and stored safely, dismissing reports of any leaked materials before the exams.
This year’s examinations will follow new rules requiring supervisors to rotate among centers weekly. Examination containers will open daily across the country at 7 a.m., under strict supervision to prevent any early exposure to the exam papers.
CS Ogamba announced that exam officials will not be allowed to have mobile phones during the examinations. They must surrender their devices to the supervisor, who will securely lock them in a desk until the end of the exam period.
“In areas like Tana River, where there are security concerns, candidates have been relocated to take their exams from safe centers like GSU camps. We are also ensuring that those affected by floods receive proper care,” the minister added.
