Every examination season in Kenya exposes the cracks in our national conscience. What should be a sacred moment for candidates to demonstrate years of learning often turns into a moral battleground corrupted by adults – teachers, parents, administrators and even politicians – who interfere with the process. The tragedy is that those meant to guide, protect and nurture young minds are the very ones destroying their integrity and confidence. Adults, through their greed, fear of failure and obsession with results, are the biggest culprits in messing up candidates during national examinations.
The purpose of national examinations is to assess learning outcomes fairly, providing a level playing field for all students regardless of background. Ideally, every candidate should walk into the examination room knowing that their performance will reflect their effort, discipline, and understanding. Yet, adults have corrupted this noble purpose. In their relentless pursuit of high mean scores and prestige, they have turned examinations into a competition of deceit rather than intellect. From sharing leaked papers to coaching candidates illegally, adults have taken control of a process that should belong to learners.
Teachers and school administrators often form the first line of interference. Many schools, especially those under pressure to maintain high mean grades, resort to unethical practices. Some teachers expose candidates to “leaked” exam materials obtained through dubious online sources. Others go as far as sneaking in unauthorized notes or coaching students during the examination period. Instead of encouraging learners to trust in their preparation, such teachers teach dishonesty. They forget that education is not about grades – it is about character formation. When a candidate passes an exam through deceit, they may wear a smile on results day, but deep down they lose something far more valuable: integrity.
Head teachers and principals, too, often fuel this problem by creating unrealistic targets. In their desire to attract more admissions, rewards and recognition, they pressurize teachers and candidates to deliver specific grades. They equate success solely to examination performance, ignoring the moral and intellectual growth of learners. Some even collude with corrupt officials to access confidential examination materials before the scheduled date. These actions destroy the spirit of fair competition and set a terrible example for the students watching them. The message becomes clear: cheating pays.
Parents are another group that messes up candidates. Many parents have abandoned the value of hard work and instead seek shortcuts for their children. In their desperation for their sons and daughters to join national schools or universities, they encourage or fund malpractice. Some buy fake exam papers circulating on social media; others pressure teachers to “assist” their children during exams. By doing so, they rob their children of the chance to experience the satisfaction of genuine success. Worse still, they raise a generation that believes corruption and manipulation are acceptable paths to progress.
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Even at the policy level, adults interfere in subtle but harmful ways. Political leaders sometimes politicize education, making promises that interfere with examination credibility. Others interfere with teacher transfers or examination centre management, hoping to gain political mileage. When leaders fail to uphold integrity, the entire system becomes compromised. Candidates watch and learn from the adults around them, concluding that dishonesty is part of survival in society.
The long-term effects of this interference are devastating. It produces students who lack confidence in their abilities because their success was built on fraud. Such learners grow into professionals who cut corners in their workplaces – doctors who endanger patients, engineers who construct unsafe buildings and teachers who cannot inspire honesty. The root of this rot lies in the examination room, where adults taught them that results matter more than ethics. National examinations lose credibility and the nation suffers the consequences of producing half-baked graduates.
Furthermore, this interference undermines the credibility of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and the entire education system. Each time a paper leaks or suspiciously high results are reported, public confidence in the system erodes. Employers begin to doubt certificates, universities question qualifications and the country’s human resource value declines. The real victims are the innocent candidates who worked hard, followed the rules, and yet are tainted by the dishonest acts of adults around them.
To stop this rot, adults must reclaim their moral responsibility. Teachers must teach and trust their learners, not cheat for them. They should remember that true teaching success lies in shaping minds, not manipulating marks. School heads must focus on mentorship and ethical leadership rather than examination glory. Parents should nurture their children’s discipline and independence, helping them understand that failure is not the end but an opportunity for growth. Above all, society must celebrate integrity as much as it celebrates academic excellence.
Government agencies, especially KNEC and the Ministry of Education, must continue strengthening measures to safeguard national exams. Technological surveillance, digital tracking of papers, and harsh penalties for offenders should be consistently enforced. However, the most powerful reform must come from within the hearts of adults. The battle for exam integrity cannot be won by laws alone; it must be driven by conscience.
Ultimately, the future of Kenya’s education depends on the example adults set. Every time a teacher sneaks a paper to a candidate, a parent buys leaked material, or a principal pressures students to cheat, a child learns that deceit is acceptable. But every time an adult insists on honesty, integrity and fairness, a nation grows stronger.
In conclusion, adults mess up candidates by interfering with national examinations through leaks, undue pressure and dishonest assistance. In doing so, they destroy not only the credibility of exams but also the moral fibre of future generations. The responsibility to protect the sanctity of national examinations lies squarely with adults. They must choose between the fleeting pride of false results and the enduring honour of integrity. The choice they make will determine the kind of nation Kenya becomes – one built on truth and competence or one destroyed by corruption and deceit.
By Ashford Kimani
Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North and serves as Dean of Studies.
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