Seven teachers charged with exam cheating

Some of the modified Chairs which were impounded when students of St Peter’s Sang’alo were caught stealing examination on 15/11/2016. The books and other cheating materials were hidden under the chairs.(PHOTO: TITUS OTEBA/STANDARD)

Seven teachers accused of allowing exam candidates to modify their chairs so as to hide reading materials were yesterday charged before a Bungoma court.

The teachers were charged with allowing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates at St. Peter's Sang'alo Secondary School to hide unauthorised material in examination rooms.

The suspects who appeared before Principal Magistrate Stephen Mogute are school principal Herman Masafu, examination supervisor Kennedy Kiberenge, teachers Roselyne Wakanya, Geofrey Musembu, Mary Wepukhulu, Isaac Toywa and David Wekesa.

They denied the charges and were released on a bond of Sh100,000 each with an alternative of Sh60,000 cash bail.

The case will be heard on January 11, 2017.

And seven students who had been arrested together with the teachers were released and allowed to sit their examinations but they were asked to be reporting at Bungoma Police Station.

"We might charge them after they are through with the examination," said David Kirui, OCPD Bungoma South.

The students and teachers were arrested on Tuesday when they were caught breaking examination rules.

The suspects were caught by a Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) official who had visited the school.

The Knec official alerted Bungoma County Director of Education Charles Anyika who rushed to the school accompanied by police officers and arrested the suspects.

"I found students with cheating materials, including books, that were hidden under their modified chairs. All along, the teachers knew it and allowed the vice to go on yet it is against the law," said Mr Anyika.

St. Peter's Sang'alo Secondary School had registered 80 candidates for KCSE examinations.

All chairs the candidates were using had been modified but only seven were found with cheating materials hidden in them.

A compartment had been created at the bottom of the chair where books and other reading material could be hidden.

Meanwhile, a Form Four candidate in Mt Elgon is sitting her exams at Sirisia Sub-County Hospital where she delivered a baby boy on Tuesday.

Kimabole Secondary School Principal Chrisanthus Wanyonyi said the girl was rushed to the hospital when she went into labour after sitting her Kiswahili paper.