KNEC’s New Measures to Prevent Exam Cheating

KNEC’s New Measures to Prevent Exam Cheating

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) is set to implement strict measures in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams to curb cheating.

The most notable change is the introduction of personalized exam papers for each of the over 900,000 candidates.

These papers will include the candidate’s name, index number, and school, pre-printed on the papers.

This move is a shift from previous years where candidates were required to manually write their details on the papers, a practice that has been exploited for impersonation and other forms of malpractice.

Holding Candidates Accountable

KNEC also plans to hold individual candidates accountable for any cheating incidents. In previous years, entire schools or exam centers could have their results canceled or withheld due to suspected irregularities.

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However, under the new rules, only the offending candidates will face consequences, which will prevent innocent students from being punished for the actions of others.

Enhanced Security Measures

KNEC Chief Executive David Njengere, during a stakeholders’ consultative meeting at Mitihani House, emphasized that these measures are intended to enhance the credibility of the examinations.

By pre-printing candidate details on the papers, the council aims to make it easier to track down individuals involved in malpractice.

Moreover, no extra papers will be printed this year, eliminating the practice of providing extra copies that could be used for cheating.

Additionally, the personalized section of the exam paper will be removed and packed separately after the exam to prevent examiners from identifying candidates during marking.

This new approach will make it harder for candidates to allow others to use their papers, as has happened in the past.

Prevention of Impersonation and Ghost Candidates

The introduction of personalized exam papers is also intended to curb impersonation, a form of cheating that has occasionally been reported.

In previous exams, one extra paper was printed for every 100 examination papers, which cheats could exploit.

However, this year, no such extras will be available. Candidates will only be allowed to sit for the subjects they registered for, addressing the issue of “under-protest” candidates who, in the past, sat for unregistered subjects.

Moreover, these reforms will ensure that only registered candidates are permitted to sit for the exams.

The registration process for the 2024 exams, which ran from January 29 to March 29, saw 965,501 candidates registered for the KCSE, a 6.89% increase from 2023.

Similarly, 1,313,913 candidates registered for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), marking a 2.38% rise.

Addressing Ghost Candidates and Enhancing Collection Security

Njengere warned that the registration of ghost candidates, which constitutes an examination malpractice, could lead to severe sanctions, including the de-registration of the school as an exam center.

Candidates are also required to adhere to subject entry requirements for grading as stipulated in the KCSE examination regulations.

In another effort to curb cheating, 41 additional containers will be installed to facilitate the double collection of exam papers and prevent early exposure.

Morning and afternoon papers will be packed separately and securely labeled, with afternoon papers remaining sealed until their collection time.

This practice was introduced last year to ensure no candidate gains access to the papers before the scheduled time.

Stakeholder Engagement and Private Candidate Reforms

KNEC is urging stakeholders to cooperate with the council and investigative agencies by reporting any exam papers that may surface before the official release from the containers.

Njengere encouraged school heads to support the council and ensure that the new measures are effectively communicated to all concerned parties.

For the first time, private candidates will take their theory papers at the county headquarters, instead of the sub-county headquarters.

For Nairobi, a specific venue will be identified and communicated in advance. This change is part of KNEC’s broader engagement with stakeholders to ensure the smooth administration of the national examinations.

Ongoing and Future Assessments

KNEC is also conducting various School Based Assessments for Grades 4, 5, 7, and 8, along with a pilot study for the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) in 265 selected schools.

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The findings from this pilot, currently being compiled, will guide the full implementation of KJSEA for the first cohort of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) students in 2025, as they transition to senior secondary education.

These comprehensive reforms by KNEC are designed to uphold the integrity of the national examinations and ensure that only eligible, properly registered candidates participate under strict, fair conditions.

KNEC’s New Measures to Prevent Exam Cheating

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