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Ministry Of Education Exposes Mistakes Private Schools Do Ahead Of National Exams

by Yahil Felix
written by Yahil Felix

The Ministry of Education has exposed the mistakes that private schools are currently doing ahead of the national examinations. The ministry has said that the schools are registering ghost candidates for the national exams.

It noted that though both public and private schools engage in the practice, private schools are leading with the highest cases.

Nairobi Regional Director of Education, Jared Obiero, while speaking during a meeting with private schools directors and managers on Friday, he revealed that he schools that mostly engage in the practice are those with fewer candidates.

“The schools mostly in Eastleigh and Kamukunji are leading in registering ghost candidates to circumvent the government’s directive on the number of candidates required,” said Obiero.

He said the schools are doing this malpractice after the Ministry of Education asked schools with lead than 30 candidates to merge and form examination centers.

The regional education officer has henceforth directed Sub-County Education Directors to begin investigations right away on the matters and file a report with the ministry.

He asked them to conduct fiscal ad physical audit of the schools’ nominal rolls as well as inspect the learners’ registration details issued by the institutions.

Obiero said that schools found with the malpractice will b e penalized accusing them of defrauding the government and wasting public resources.

He noted that the practice is an examination irregularity and if a school is found, they will write to KNEC for appropriate action.

However, umbrella body, Kenya Private Schools Association have denied Obiero’s claims saying they are unsubstantiated.

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Student Denied Form 1 Spot After Travelling All The Way From Bungoma To Murang’a

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

The 2021 form one admissions which kicked off on Monday August 2 have been marred with corruption allegations after reports emerged that some schools are swapping the admission spots in favour of other students.

Form one students started reporting to school on Monday after sitting their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in March this year. 

For instance, a mother who took her daughter for Form One admission at Mugoiri Girls High School in Murang’a County was left in shock after she found out that the school had swapped her daughter’s spot.

The heartbroken mother who has been identified as Rachel Amogola broke down and cried, lamenting that the school was biased and intentionally denied the daughter admission at the school. 

This after they had travelled all the way from Bungoma County to the school that is in Central region of Kenya, only for her daughter to miss the spot.

The parent while speaking to he media said that she had spent her fortune purchasing learning materials and other necessities listed by the school which at last had offered the girl, Hildah Anatwa’s, spot to another parent. 

She cried hysterically while clutching admission documents and the girl’s pink suitcase. 

“George Magoha (Education CS), what has my daughter done to deserve such punishment. She passed her exam and you, Oh God, guided her through it. You selected this school for her and provided all that she needed. Give me strength My Lord!” Amogola prayed in the vernacular Luhya dialect, in between her sobs. 

The mother complained that corruption had escalated in Kenya and even affected the education sector.

What pained her most was that the residents are law-abiding and work hard only to be disparaged by the few who enjoyed certain privileges. 

“I never miss tithing My God! I serve you in the church. Then why should you allow someone to mess with my daughter’s life? Fight for me!” she wailed as other parents and enrolling students watched sympathetically. 

The aggrieved parent urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene on her behalf as the situation was so heartbreaking. 

Her work, she stated, was to nurture and provide for her children as a loving parent. However, the alleged tribalism she faced was beyond her comprehension. 

“I have never known such pain. Who chose my daughter to join a school in Murang’a. I am exhausted after walking and travelling this long-distance,” she lamented. 

On Tuesday morning, August 3, the school issued a statement clarifying the issue. 

“The lady sought for a Form One transfer to Wambasa Secondary in Siaya county. The details of her relative who requested her transfer are available in Nemis. The school has no mandate to retransfer the student.

“The parent came to school accompanied by the media and despite being advised by the principal to be patient, she contacted the ministry and went ahead to create drama,” the statement read. 

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4 teachers land center manager, supervisors, invigilator in hot soup during KCPE

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

The center manager, two supervisors and an invigilator deployed to Hezta Primary School in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County were arrested on Wednesday, October 30, after four teachers at the institution allegedly aided 29 pupils in exam cheating.

The tutors were also apprehended.

According to Nyandarua County Commissioner, Boaz Cherutich, security officers assigned to the school got suspicious when they saw the four teachers within the school compound as KCPE tests continued, an act which is prohibited by the national exam council.

“After alerting my office, I assigned law enforcement agents to go to the school and investigate the allegations. Preliminary report shows there was negligence on the side of the center manager, two supervisors and an invigilator, given they allowed the four teachers to access the school, which is against KNEC ‘s exam supervision regulations,” Cherutich was quoted by a local daily.

“We have asked the Teachers’ Service Commission to take disciplinary action against the eight. Tomorrow [Thursday, October 31], a new team will be deployed to supervise the Social Studies paper at Hezta Primary School,” said Cherutich.

The suspects will be arraigned once investigations are concluded, said the county commissioner.

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Headteacher lands in hot soup on first day of KCPE

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A headteacher at NYS Primary School in Gilgil has found himself in trouble when interior cabinet secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i evacuated candidates from a classroom with a leaking roof during KCPE exams.

The powerful CS has ordered disciplinary measures to be taken against the head teacher.

The teacher faces sanction for failing to alert relevant authorities that four classrooms needed urgent renovations to avoid putting pupils’ lives in danger.

The Interior CS however urged the county director of education to ensure that the school is allocated funds to renovate the affected classrooms.

Matiang’i witnessed the opening of the examination container and distribution at Gilgil DCC’s office.

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Magoha fires warning to headteachers as KCPE exams kick off

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Mahoga on Tuesday morning warned headteachers against blocking class eight candidates from sitting for their national examinations.

Magoha, who witnessed the opening of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination in Mombasa, said every child should be allowed to sit for their papers.

“I want to take this opportunity to warn very few centre managers, who may attempt to block children from taking examinations for whatever reasons. You cannot stop a child to sit for an exam because they failed to pay Sh300,”  he said.

The CS reiterated that every child must be given access and if there are any other issues, they will be sorted out later.

At the same time, Magoha said in this year’s KCPE examinations there were very few cases of fake papers being spread around.

“These  exams have been seen for the first time this morning as I had told the nation earlier. Its fidelity is unquestionable,” Magoha said.

He said the good news is that this year,  they did not pick any fake examination papers prior to the starting date.

“We have not picked any fake examinations even though we had a lot of backroom plans by certain teachers in certain hotspots,” he added.

Magoha said parents, teachers and students should not be worried about cheating because there will be 100 percent transition into the secondary school.

For the regions affected by the floods, Magoha said the government has 10 helicopters that will be used to facilitate delivery of the papers in good time.

“The downside of this year’s examinations are the rains that have affected some regions. However, we have 10 helicopters that are at our disposal. No child will miss an examination,” he said.

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Team of 70,000 security officers deployed to secure KCPE exam papers

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A team of 70,000 security officers have been deployed to secure Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam papers and the candidates countrywide as the exams kick off today (Tuesday) .

Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i was also on location at the Gilgil DCC’s Office to oversee the opening of a container in readiness for the exams.

Military helicopters are also on standby to ferry exam papers to centers unreachable by road either due to bad roads of flooding.

A total of 1,088, 987 candidates for sit the three-day exam that starts with Mathematics on Tuesday morning. English language and Composition tests are scheduled for mid-morning and afternoon respectively.

On Wednesday, the candidates will tackle Science, Kiswahili and Insha before completing the test with Social Studies and Christian Religious Education on Thursday.

There was fears the ongoing heavy rains might disrupt the exam in some areas but the ministry on Monday said it was adequately prepared.

Wajir, Mandera, Turkana, Marsabit and Isiolo have been mapped out as counties with potential flooding challenges that might require special attention.

Devolution CS who distributed relief food to residents of Wajir on Sunday said they will use military helicopters to deliver exam papers in centres cut off by floods.

On Monday, Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang said they were working closely with the Environment Ministry to get updates on the weather situation.

Kipsang spoke after visiting Nairobi Primary School during the KCPE exam rehearsal.

“We have acquired choppers that will be used in places where the rain has cut off the road,” Kenya National Examinations Council CEO Mercy Karogo said on Monday.

The security officers are expected to guard the papers both in examination centres and the containers at the county and subcounty levels.

They will also accompany headteachers who also double up as centre managers to collect the exam papers from the storage containers every morning and in the evening when the papers are returned to the containers for collection.

A command centre has been set up at Jogoo House from where all security operations will be monitored and coordinated. The government is also banking on surveillance to close in on possible use of gadgets to facilitate cheating and early exposure of the exam papers.

“I can say for sure that our centre managers, supervisors and invigilators are adequately prepared. We ask the centre managers to take charge of their centres,” Kipsang said.

During the Monday rehearsals, the supervisors and invigilators were expected to ensure the candidates and the schools were properly registered and that the rules and procedures to be followed during the exam were clear to everyone.

They were also to ensure exam rooms have proper lighting, ventilation and that candidates have appropriate seats. Writings or drawings that can affect the exam must not be in the exam room or with the precincts of the centre.

This year’s exam will mark a shift in the use of traditional index numbers that ranked students according to performance. Candidates will instead use their admission numbers.

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Crime & Investigations

KCPE candidate’s fingers wrapped in newspaper, soaked in paraffin and set ablaze by parents

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A 14-year old KCPE candidate set to sit for national exams at Kasuna Primary School in Nyando, Kisumu county was attacked on Wednesday by his father and step-mother for allegedly stealing a mobile phone.

According to K24 Digital, the boy’s father, Apolo Onjulu, and his wife, Rose Awino, wrapped the 14-year-old’s fingers in a newspaper, soaked the papers in paraffin and lit a fire.

The boy’s screams of pain caught the attention of a neighbour, Richard Muga, who rushed to the scene and rescued the teenager.

The victim was, thereafter, taken to Ahero Sub-County Hospital for emergency care.

According to Kisumu County Director of Health, Dr. Dickens Onyango, the minor’s condition is stable despite sustaining severe burn wounds.

“The doctors at Ahero Hospital have assured me that he will be able to sit the KCPE test next week,” said Dr. Onyango.

Nyando police boss, Matete, says for the period that the suspects will be in custody, the boy will put up at a Good Samaritan’s place.

“A Good Samaritan has offered to accommodate the minor for the period that he will sit the KCPE exam [which begins next week Tuesday and ends on Thursday],” said Matete.

It is alleged that the teenager’s step-mother had accused him of stealing a smartphone, and when the boy denied the allegations, the suspect vowed to “teach him a lesson”.

Police say Awino waited until the boy’s father returned home from Awasi and told him [father] that the son had stolen a phone.

“It was at that point that the boy’s father wrapped the minor’s fingers in a newspaper and lit a fire that left him nursing serious burn wounds,” said Matete.

The suspects are being held at Ahero Police Station.

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Uhuru announces end of National exams in Primary Schools

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced the end of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) for pupils who will undergo the newly introduced Curriculum Based Curriculum (CBC).

was speaking during the third national Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) conference held at the KICC.

“There would be no examinations in standard 6, which shall ensure that we now have 100 per cent transition from primary through to secondary school,” he declared.

The head of state also revealed that the task force formed by CS George Magoha had come up with recommendations stating that the lower secondary, which is grade 7,8 and 9 should now be domiciled in the secondary schools.

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