Nairobi, Kenya, Nov 11 — Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba today oversaw the distribution of KCSE 2024 examination papers at the Lang’ata Sub-County Headquarters in Nairobi, where he announced stringent new measures to combat exam malpractice.
Speaking emphatically, Ogamba underscored the government’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the national examinations, promising severe consequences for individuals found engaging in cheating.
In his address to officials and stakeholders present, Ogamba detailed a robust approach aimed at isolating and penalizing offenders on an individual basis rather than implicating entire schools or examination centers.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have put in place very, very serious measures,” Ogamba stated. “This year, if there is any malpractice, we are not going to condemn the old school or the entire center. It is going to be individualised. For example, if you open the examination papers while moving them from here to the school and take a photo, we will know it is you because each paper is individualised. We will deal with you as an individual.”
Ogamba highlighted that each examination paper has been serialized to trace back to the specific student involved.
The government has adopted a personalized tracking system to ensure that any attempt to circulate examination content, such as sharing photos of exam papers, can be directly linked to the individual responsible.
In a stern warning to students and staff, the CS stressed that mobile phones are prohibited in examination halls.
“Let us work diligently and follow the guidelines because they are very simple and clear,” he urged.
“If we have agreed that no phones should be in the hall, keep them aside. It’s just an hour or two. Then pick them up after you finish.”
The CS also revealed that a group dubbed the “Instagram Team,” allegedly involved in online exam leakages, was apprehended on Monday.
The suspects are set to be arraigned in court today. Ogamba called upon the judiciary to expedite prosecution, ensuring swift justice to deter potential offenders.
“We’ve asked the judiciary to assist us in ensuring that prosecution is swift and fast so that people face the music. Too often, investigations take too long, and prosecution delays cause people to forget that these things actually happened, which encourages repeat offenses,” he noted.
Ogamba’s address also touched on private examination centers, which he suggested could be hotspots for malpractice. He warned that any such centers found compromising exam integrity might face closure.
“If we find private centers open to manipulation, one of the things we will do is recommend they be closed because there’s no point in having a small group of people giving a bad name to the whole country and the entire examination process.”
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