Magoha: Mobile cell phones banned in examination halls
By People Team, March 9, 2022Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has banned the use of mobile phones in examination rooms.
Speaking yesterday, he said the decision was informed by the fact that the ministry was able to pick certain centre managers taking images of the examination papers moments into the exam.
He termed the move as unacceptable, saying it is unfortunate that a few incidents can mar otherwise progressive exams.
“Nobody should enter the exam room with a cell phone, and that includes the centre managers; they should be kept in offices and ensure that all invigilators and supervisors deposit their cellphones there, … We will not take this lying down,” said the CS when he inspected the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations on the second day in Nyeri.
He said certain centre managers took images of examination papers about 39 minutes into the exams. “This is not acceptable, ” Magoha affirmed.
The CS insisted that all candidates who were supposed to sit their exams did so, including those in security-threatened areas.
“The narrative that bandits are ahead of our security forces must stop. There were gunshots three kilometers away but the candidates are safe and will complete their exams today,” the CS said.
Food and accommodation
He added that the Government has fully catered for learners in security-prone areas, including providing them with places to sleep and food to eat. The candidates will only leave the premises once they are through with the exams. KCPE students will sit their final exam — Social Studies and Religious Education — today, and then Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams will follow.
Magoha called on all stakeholders in the examination exercise to diligently focus on their duties, warning that officials who fail to follow the laid-down supervision guidelines will be replaced.
“I urge all stakeholders taking part in this exercise, from the perspective of the government in power today, this is the sixth exam and we must deliver and we shall deliver. If we find that you are getting a little bit lazy, then the best thing to do is to step aside or we shall push you aside. We have two million children to serve and we do not want interruptions,” Magoha said.
It however emerged that, in Mbeere, some 46 students did not report to sit their exam for the second day running. Their absence caused panic, with education officials seeking to know their whereabouts.
Mbeere North Director of Education Joseph Ngonjo said the students had been registered but they did not show up and attempts to trace them to their homes had been futile. He attributed the absence to ‘muguka’ farming and sand harvesting, which are dominant in the area.
Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan echoed Magoha’s sentiments about invigilators taking pictures of examination papers, saying it would encourage cheating. He said some supervisors and invigilators share the pictures on WhatsApp groups. Jwan said this is forbidden and must stop forthwith, noting that it may give the impression that the examination has leaked.
“Teachers and officials manning the examination should not take pictures when the papers have been opened. Some people may take advantage of the pictures and misuse them to dent the image of our examinations,” he said.
Speaking when he supervised the distribution of KCPE materials in Homa Bay County, the PS reiterated that the government was keen on sealing any loophole that may lead to irregularities.
He directed exam officials to be vigilant and enhance the credibility of the test.
“Our security officers should always be alert in ensuring that all stipulated exam regulations are adhered to,” Jwan said.
He stated that government agencies are on high alert to deal with cases of exam cheating.
“There was a rumour about leakage on the first day of KCPE but it has been addressed. All is well and measures have been put in place to ensure the examinations end efficiently as planned,” he added.
He made the remark as he warned teachers against engaging learners in tuition during the holidays. Jwan cautioned teachers against taking advantage of school closure to conduct tuition, saying learners should not be seen going to school for studies during the long school break as had been previously reported.
“We encourage teachers and parents to allow students to spend the holiday at home. This is the long holiday they have been given since a disruption was caused in the academic calendar,” Jwan said.
The PS said some teachers may be tempted to invite students to school with the intention of covering the syllabus that may be disrupted by short term dates.
However, he said, the revised term dates considered every challenge that may arise, adding that the time allocated for learning is enough for covering the syllabus.
In Nandi, a 16-year-old girl is writing her exam in the maternity ward at Nandi Hills Sub-County Hospital after delivering an underweight child last week.
The young mother, who delivered the child at 28 weeks, could not be discharged as the infant is being monitored in an incubator. Sub-county Director of Education Bernard Manyasi said arrangements have been made to ensure examination papers are delivered in time to her.
In stable condition
The hospital’s medical superintendent, Joseph Kangor, said the girl is in a stable condition and has been provided with the required necessities.
In Vihiga County, Director of Education (CDE) Hellen Nyang’au called on head-teachers to provide a conducive environment to enable candidates perform well.
Elsewhere, the government deployed choppers to deliver KCPE papers to the border centres of Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties.
North Eastern Regional Commissioner James Kianda, who spoke from Garissa, said the choppers are being used to deliver the papers to far-flung centres on the Kenya-Somalia and Kenya-Ethiopia borders.
Kianda said that centres whose papers are being delivered by air include Hulugho, Galmagala, Liboi, Kulan in Garissa, Eastern parts of Habassweini in Wajir and Arabiya, and Takaba in Mandera.
“Knec, in liaison with Interior and Education ministries, have deployed helicopters to deliver exams to far-flung areas and that includes the borders,” Kianda said.
Security officers including KDF and border patrol units have secured examination centres that are close to the border, he said.
Reporting by Irene Githinji, Brian Malila, Noven Owiti and KNA