The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has pledged to take disciplinary action against teachers allegedly involved in malpractice in the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.

The Commission’s move comes after a significant breach of credibility was reported in the month-long KCSE examinations that began on Monday.

For instance, in Homa Bay county eight teachers were arrested over allegations of their involvement in malpractices in the KCSE exams.

The tutors from a Secondary School in Homa Bay Town constituency were arrested on Monday evening after they were reportedly found photocopying an exam paper.

Alleged photocopy

 Homa Bay Sub-County Police Commander Emmanuel Kiplagat said the suspects were allegedly photocopying a chemistry exam paper during their arrest.

“Preliminary reports indicate that one of the candidates fell sick and was taken to the hospital. The suspects took advantage of his paper put on his desk which they used to produce copies,” he said.

 By the time of going to press, the suspects including the centre manager, invigilators and teachers employed by the school board of management who have been in police custody, were expected to be arraigned to face specified charges.

The scandal in Homa Bay has sparked concerns about the integrity of the KCSE, but authorities are assuring the public that swift actions are being taken. The matter remains in court, and investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the malpractice and who exactly was involved.

Additionally, two cases of impersonation were reported on Monday one in Kilifi and another in Nairobi and the suspects were arrested and are being detained by the police.

Disciplinary measures

Against this backdrop, TSC vowed to undertake necessary disciplinary measures against teachers found culpable of abetting exam irregularities.

“We’ve replaced the centre manager, supervisors, and all the invigilators suspected to be involved in that incident. The centre is now secured, and exams are running smoothly. However, this will be subject to the findings of the ongoing investigation. If found guilty, the commission will take appropriate disciplinary actions. Our topmost priority is to guarantee safety and integrity measures in our national examinations,” said a TSC official.

The exam malpractice was detected thanks to vigilant members of the public and local community members who tipped off authorities.

“I want to thank the public and the entire community for sharing information. It is through their observation that we can catch any monkey business. If they see anything that is likely to compromise the integrity of our exams, let them continue being good citizens by sharing information, and we shall ensure that the integrity of the examination is upheld,” stated another TSC official.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba reiterated on Monday that the government had put in place several measures to ensure that examination malpractice does not reoccur in this year’s nationwide examinations.

Ogamba further warned those caught cheating of severe consequences and outlined ways that the government is planning to use to curb this vice in schools across the country.

“Any person, therefore, found compromising the integrity of the examination will be dealt with within the law, and appropriate legal action will be taken if they are found in any examination malpractices,” said the CS while overseeing the distribution of KCSE examination papers at the Kenya National Examinations Council’s Container at the Kibra Deputy County Commissioner’s offices on Monday.

 Knec also swiftly moved to assure Kenyans that the credibility of this year’s exams will not be compromised.

No malpractice

 Knec chief executive David Njengere emphasized that no malpractice will be tolerated in the administration of the exams.  “We are vigilant across the country and anyone planning to engage in malpractice, they can be sure we will pursue and apprehend them,” he said.

And as the exams continue, candidates across the country are expected to sit for their tests under tighter scrutiny to ensure fairness and credibility in the examination process.

The exams are set to continue until the end of November, with over 965,501 candidates registered for this year’s exam in 10,754 centres countrywide.

In Kwale, the exams that entered the third day went on through smooth administration even as officials maintained the credibility of the test was intact.

County Education Director Ahmed Mohamed said no incidents of exam malpractice have been reported in the region so far.

Mohamed said that no single candidate is also sitting for exams in hospitals or prisons adding that the progress has been encouraging.

“We are very pleased to announce that the examination period in Kwale County has been smooth so far, with no cases of cheating or teen pregnancies reported among candidates,” he said

In Kwale, at least 12, 260 candidates are sitting for the KCSE exams. Most of the candidates are between ages 16-20 years.

The county has a total of 120 exam centres, comprising 104 public and 16 private institutions.

Additionally, 69 individuals are registered as private candidates and are taking their exams at Kwale St. Mary’s High School Seminary.

Mohamed said the county has implemented stringent monitoring systems, with invigilators closely observing each examination centre.