DCI blames ministry officials and KNEC for exams leakage

Fresh details now show rogue Kenya National Examination Council and Education Ministry officials may have colluded to leak national examinations for financial gain.

A meeting between MPs, Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK) revealed that government officials raked in money by setting up social media accounts where they posted exams.

In total, 49 social media accounts were set up and activated to aid in supplying exam questions.

Speaking after the meeting, the National Assembly Education Committee chairman Julius Melly said the DCI also mentioned names of KNEC and CAK officials who were part of the scheme.

However, Mr Melly did not disclose the names of those officials, promising to make them known before end of the month when the committee will table its report in Parliament.

During the close door meeting, Melly said the information shared reveals a lot of leakages in the examination system that touched on big fish.

''We have good information which touches on various sectors of the Ministry of Education. We found out how individuals opened social media platforms and the kind of information they shared,'' Melly said.

He further said the committee will propose radical reforms in examination management, supervision and punishment bestowed on leaks, early exposure of exams, collaboration and those who impersonate.

''DCI gave us more information on particular culprits. They point at some who open social media platforms, some using several accounts where a lot of money is involved. They told us how much money exchanged hands where M-PESA and bank accounts were used as conduits which later landed to individuals,'' he said.

In the meeting, it emerged that out of 49 accounts, 22 Facebook accounts and 13 Telegram accounts opened last year are under Knec name while the rest are under different individuals.

Some 14 fraudulent Telegram and seven Facebook accounts are still active while nine Telegram and 19 Facebook accounts have been deactivated.

They include knecleakage2022, KNEC EXAMS, kncep, kcseleaks001, KCSENNC, kennny97, kcsegradechangingknec, KNECEXAM, knecexam2022, knecleakage, KCSEEXAMLEAKAGES, KNECLEAKAGES2022, leakagekcseandkcpe. Some Telegram accounts which have been deactivated include Kneclkg, KCSEANDKCPE EXAMS, Kcse2021leaks, knecpapers22, kneckcseleakage, sanzy2, knec2021exam, KCSEKCPRNCKASN EBLEAKAGES.

Facebook accounts include KNEC PAST papers, kcse Past Papers And Marking Schemes, KNEC Standard Notes and Past Papers -TVET, KCSE Leakage, Knec past papers, Kenya National Examination Council Dennis Pritt Road.

Early December, last year KNEC chief executive David Njengere raised concern over early exposure of national exams seeking assistance in bringing down Telegram and Facebook accounts perpetrating exam malpractice.

''Early exposure of national examination papers on social media platforms is an emerging threat KNEC is currently grappling with. To avert this threat, the council is requesting assistance from your organisation to pull down some identified Telegram Channels and Facebook Forums,'' Dr Njengere said.

The Council boss had meetings and wrote to the authority to form a multi-agency team comprising the Council, CCK, and the ICT Authority in order to curb the exam malpractice.

''Some scrupulous individuals have developed the habit of opening examination papers once they have been collected from the containers and taking photos then sharing these in social media platforms,'' Njengere stated.

CCK chief executive Ezra Chiloba said strong end to end technology and privacy, self-destructing messages, and anonymous registration capabilities facilitate covert communication, and continue to pose a threat to tracing individuals involved in the vice.

''We regret to report that engaging Telegram and Signal has especially proved to be a challenge, as the latter platform has largely been non-responsive,'' Chiloba said.

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