By Roy Hezron
A total of 320 candidates in seven Examination Centres countrywide were found to have committed examination irregularities in the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination.
Speaking at Mitihani house during the release of KCPE results on March 28, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha stated that the candidates will be awarded zero marks in the affected subjects, noting that the security arrangements through the Multi-Sectoral Examinations Monitoring Team have always helped to curb cheating in national examinations.
“KNEC established that 320 candidates in seven examination centres colluded during the administration of the 2021 KCPE examination. These candidates will be awarded a mark of zero in the affected subjects,” said Prof. Magoha.
During the release of 2020 KCPE results in April last year, Prof. Magoha stated that all candidates who sat for the exam received their results including those who were involved in irregularities after President Uhuru Kenyatta intervened in the matter.
This is a shift from the previous years when results of candidates found cheating would be cancelled or withheld until they are cleared.
In a move that caused a heated public debate in 2016, the then Education CS Fred Mating’i said students caught cheating would have to wait two years before retaking the exam.
In a bid to control exam irregularities, Matiang’i had banned mid-terms, visiting days, prayers’ and all other social activities during schools’ third term. Such events, he argued, contributed to exam malpractices since students would get access to exam papers and mobile phones.
