By Ongondi Nyakundi
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) was put on the spot in Nyamira County on Friday over alleged widespread malpractices in the 2022 national examinations.
Education stakeholders from the County who met the Parliamentary Education committee which was on a facts-finding mission across the country accused the examinations body as the main culprit in leaking the national tests.
School heads, parents and interest groups from the County came out strongly to defend learning institutions from the county which did exemplary well in the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams to post best results nationally and regionally.
During the meeting which was held at West Mugirango Constituency CDF offices in Nyamira Town, temperatures flared up as speakers poured out their anger over media reports from the same forum that was held in Machakos that results from some schools in Gusii were achieved through cheating.
KNUT Executive Secretary Nicholas Nyang’au accused officials of KUPPET from Machakos who had laid the accusations on the schools that they were involved in cheating.
The Chairman of the Committee Nabii Nabwera had to caution subsequent speakers against engaging on local issues which were not related to the Committee’s mandate.
“We are not here to find out about performances of local schools but to gather information on how best the examinations in the country can be improved and administered,” Nabwera said.
KESSHA, KNUT and KUPPET officials said there was an urgent need for the KNEC to be held accountable over the irregularities which marred the examinations.
“We agree there could be exam leakages and cheating but the buck stops at KNEC because it is the only body that deals with exams. If there are leakages, then its own people are responsible and they are the ones to be charged for it,” George Ayieko, KUPPET assistant Executive Secretary told the Committee.
KESSHA Nyamira Branch Chairman Job Oira who is also a KNEC examiner said the Council had been alerted over various cases detected in exams cheating in one of the centers he was marking but no action was taken .
Siaya Woman MP Christine Ombaka who was also in the Committee said there was need for the country’s examinations body to be overhauled if the country wanted the best for its learners outside the country.
“It has a lot to do with our own integrity as Kenyans. Who will trust our children outside our borders internationally if this is the kind of education system we would be having?” Ombaka posed.
Nabwera said the Committee’s recommendations will have to be realistic with the examinations situation in the country.
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