Results of 10 Schools Withheld Over Cheating Claim

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 20 2017

In Summary
The CS said the chief examiner had noted clear evidence of collusion among candidates in the 10 schools.
St Theresa Girls Senior School is one of those affected after it was deregistered during the examination period.

By KENNEDY KIMANTHI
Kenya Daily Nation

The Ministry of Education has withheld the results of this year’s Form Four national examination for 10 secondary schools.

Without divulging their names, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i however said a further analysis of examination scripts from the affected institutions will be done.

This year, 611,952 candidates sat the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination at 9,701 centres last month.

Five candidates caught engaging in examination malpractices were disqualified.

DEREGISTERED

The CS said the chief examiner had noted clear evidence of collusion among candidates in the 10 schools and the ministry has enrolled the services of experts to gather more evidence of malpractices.

“We know people will ask us to prove the decision we have made on those candidates and, therefore, the need to ask for more experts, who will compile the report on these schools by January 18,” Dr Matiang’i said.

The private St Theresa Girls Senior School, of Gilgil, Nakuru County, is one of those affected after it was deregistered during the examination period.

The deregistration order took effect on December 1 after the school’s principal was found to have opened exam materials before the stipulated time.

Ministry officials believe it was a deliberate attempt at interfering with the tests and share them with students in advance.

OFFENCE

Teachers at the institution were also found coaching KCSE candidates, against ministerial rules.

The offences were committed on November 9 and 10.

The Education Principal Secretary, Dr Belio Kipsang, in a letter to the school, indicated that the ministry would find alternative schools for the 115 students in other classes from next month.

The CS said a public school, also in the Rift Valley, had its results withheld.

The school’s unnamed principal is reported to have hidden confiscated cell phones in a bucket of water to conceal evidence, he said.

He blamed the cheating on “desperate efforts” by schools that were “not doing their job” as required.

INVESTIGATIONS

The school’s board will be dissolved as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) institutes “serious” disciplinary action on the principal and teachers.

“That school became the centre of focus and all top government officials visited it because of the stress they put us through,” Dr Matiang’i said.

“I promise to make it an example of how not to manage a school as we go forward.”

To safeguard the reputation of the education sector, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has been involved in the investigation.

TEACHERS

Several teachers from the schools were summoned to record statements with the police.

“We have given ourselves two weeks to complete investigations and make available their results and the final report.

"We believe the cases in those schools are serious enough to warrant deeper investigations,” the CS said.

According to the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec), this year, 40 teachers in various schools were involved in exam malpractices.