Cases of exam cheating rise in Kisii

By Kenan Miruka    

Kisii, Kenya: The number of pupils who cheated in the 2013 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination went up in Kisii, worrying stakeholders.

Sixty-seven candidates in five schools within the county had their results cancelled by the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) over irregularities.

In 2012, some 40 candidates in two schools had their results cancelled after they were accused of cheating in English and Kiswahili papers.

Shock gripped students and parents at Nyangweta SDA Primary School in Gucha South on Tuesday when it emerged that the results of all the 25 registered candidates had been cancelled over cheating in Kiswahili.

At Omogenda Junior Academy in Gucha South, results of 14 out of 18 candidates were cancelled due to alleged cheating in Science. Similarly, results of all the 19 candidates at Maiga FPE Primary School were also cancelled due to alleged cheating in Kiswahili.

Other schools involved in irregularities in the county are Manyoni Memorial Academy and Rionchogu DEB Primary School where results for all eight and one candidate respectively were cancelled. At Rionchogu Primary School, the candidates are said to have cheated in all subjects.

Overall, Kisii dropped in performance from position 33 in 2012 to position 34 in 2013. County Director of Education Chepe Konchola said they were yet to analyse the results.