On Monday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba reassured parents, students, and teachers that the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will stop canceling entire centers’ results when cheating is detected.
Addressing examiners at Lang’ata Sub-County Headquarters in Nairobi, Ogamba announced that KNEC will now handle cheating cases on an individual basis to avoid punishing innocent students.
Ogamba explained that KNEC has implemented new security measures to curb exam leakages and prevent misconduct. He emphasized that those involved in cheating, including students, will be individually accountable, with no undue impact on others.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to report that we have put very serious measures in place. If there is any malpractice this year, we will not condemn the whole school or center. We will address it on an individual level,” Ogamba affirmed.
The CS detailed how KNEC’s approach will involve tracking serialized exam papers to identify the source of any malpractice. If a student is caught cheating, investigators will use the unique serial numbers on the exam papers to pinpoint the individuals responsible, ensuring that those involved face direct consequences.
Ogamba also addressed concerns about coordinated cheating within schools. He reassured the public that in cases where multiple individuals collaborate to cheat, the government will conduct thorough investigations before holding the involved individuals accountable.
“If we find that individuals have collaborated, as we saw in Homa Bay, we will follow the evidence and ensure that those directly involved are penalized,” he stated. This approach aims to prevent innocent students from being implicated in dishonest activities committed by a few.
He further explained how KNEC will identify students using serialized exam papers, particularly in cases where students take photos of exam materials and circulate them.
“If a student brings a phone into the exam room, takes a photo of their paper, and sends it around, we can track that student because all papers are serialized. Only that student will face consequences, not the entire institution,” he added.
Ogamba faulted the past practice of blanket punishments, noting that innocent students suffered unfairly while a few individuals tarnished the reputation of their schools. He expressed a commitment to making the examination sector ethical and transparent, saying, “We want to clean this sector, keep it ethical, and do the right thing for the future.”
