13 suspects of exam irregularities to be arraigned in court

13 people suspected of being involved in cheating in the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) are expected to be arraigned at a Nyamira Court today.

Six of the suspects are candidates from a private examinations centre in Nyamira South while the other seven are staff from an examination centre in Manga Sub-county in Nyamira county.

The 13 who were caught in varying circumstances were arrested on Thursday and have been in custody during the Easter weekend.

According to Manga Sub-county Police Commander Gabriel Mwangangi the seven staff were nabbed after being involved in an examination irregularity during the Chemistry practical paper that was done on Thursday.

The seven include the centre manager, the examinations supervisor, two invigilators, a Chemistry teacher and the school's lab technician.

Mwangangi added that five candidates were also part of the investigations and were called upon to record statements as the police were establishing facts in the case.

"The students were summoned to give accounts over the alleged offence so that we can be able to see if we can break even in the suspected cheating by getting more suspects," Mwangangi said.

Since the national exams began, there has been widespread exam cheating cases reported across the country.

In Nyamira for example, the six candidates from a private examination centre were arrested after they were allegedly found with questions of the day's Chemistry Paper three exams which were sent to one of them through a social media platform alongside pre-prepared answers and some formulas written on an exercise book.

Last week, examination officials and a centre manager were arrested in Migori County and charged at the Rongo Law Courts where they denied the charges.

The cases of exam cheating are on the rise despite Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha maintaining that the integrity of the papers remains uncompromised.