Exam cheats will ruin your life

Cheating is very rampant in our learning institutions and the fact that even primary school pupils participate in this vice is a shame. The percentage of cheating in 2015’s KCPE literally rose by a shocking 60%. It has become such a norm that even entire KCPE papers were shamelessly being circulated on Whatsapp.

 I spoke to Margaret Hajula a headmistress at Golf Course Academy who confirmed that the exam papers were indeed being leaked and that they made attempts to report the issue to relevant authorities at KNEC but their complaints fell on deaf ears. “It is frustrating for us as teachers, there are emergency papers for such occurrences but one must get approval to use them.” She mentioned, the disappointment in her tone evident.

Cheating doesn’t stop in national examinations alone. The phrase degree ni harambee is commonly used in Kenyan universities. It simply means that people should help each other in the exam room.  I was shocked to find that during an aptitude test at a job interview, candidates were still cheating.

At this rate, institutions should find an alternative to exams. Putting pen to paper in these exam rooms has lost meaning. They have become a test to determine how much you remember from last night’s cramming or your ability to play cat and mouse with an invigilator. Term papers are always being copy-pasted off the web and from classmates, people even going at lengths to pay someone to do their projects. Random oral exams may just be the better option. One has to fully understand what they have studied to actually pass such an exam.

Cheating is taken too lightly. Until we take it seriously, we shall continue to be misdiagnosed by quack doctors, have faulty wiring in our houses thanks to that “certified engineer” and a lot of other things that you will have to pay dearly for sooner than you think.