Only two cheating cases recorded in 2023 KCPE exam

Parents and teachers of St Ann Primary School in Mumias celebrate with Jacinta Bethany Khashngu who scored 427 marks in the 2023 KCPE exam. [John Shilitsa, Standard]

Only two candidates out of 1.4 million who sat for the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) were caught cheating.

One of the candidates was found in the examination room with unauthorized notes while the other had a mobile phone, contrary to examination rules.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu termed it a great improvement compared to last year's KCPE examinations.

Last year, some 252 students engaged in examination malpractices. The cases were attributed to earlier exposure of exams and invigilators colluding with the candidates.

Speaking at Mtihani House, Nairobi, yesterday, while releasing the 2023 KCPE results, Machogu applauded the candidates and officials who collaborated to make ensure the integrity of the examination.

This marks the last KCPE under the 8-4-4 system after the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) system.

“I wish to commend the candidates and all officials for ensuring that the integrity and credibility of the 2023 KCPE examination remained high,” Machogu said.

The CS said that the Ministry increased the number of distribution centers countrywide which led to low cases of cheating.

He also attributed the integrity of the exam to the double collection that required center managers to collect the second session paper in the afternoon.

Machogu said the measures were adopted to avoid cases of early exposure that were experienced in previous years, where there were reports of second papers being interfered with.