How Knec plans to curb cheating in exams with new strict rules

Knec chief executive David Njengere. [File, Standard]

Examination papers for the more than 900,000 learners who will sit this year’s KCSE exam will bear individual candidate’s details in new changes to be rolled out by Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec).

The Sunday Standard has established that the papers will be customised for each candidate, with their name, index number and school pre-printed.

This is a marked departure from the past where candidates were required to write their details on the papers, a loophole exploited over the years to abet examinations malpractices such as impersonation.

In addition to these, it also emerged that candidates who engage in examination cheating will be held personally responsible in new changes to be rolled out this year.

Exam malpractice by individual candidates will not be used to punish an entire school or an examination center. Over the years, candidates in examination centres or schools with suspected irregularities have had their results cancelled or withheld.

These details emerged on Friday during a stakeholders consultative meeting attended by senior Knec officials, Teachers Service Commission, Kenya Secondary School Heads Association and Kenya Private Schools Association representatives.

Student details

Speaking at the meeting at Mitihani House, Knec chief executive David Njengere said the move would enhance credibility of the examinations and check malpractices.

“What we are saying is that we shall personalise the examination papers so that each candidate will have their details already printed. This means that in case of malpractices, we shall ask the candidate why they allowed their paper to be used by someone else,” said Dr Njengere.

He said that this is a departure from the past since the student details were not incorporated, which also means that there will neither be extra question papers nor the very rare situation of photocopying them.

However, at the end of each paper, the section containing the candidates’ details will be torn off and packed separately to guard against examiners identifying the candidates while marking.

With personalisation of question papers, it will now be easier to track candidates who allow their papers to be used in malpractices instead of going for the entire school.

The CEO also explained that personalisation of papers seeks to stem impersonation, which is an examination malpractice, previously reported, though in rare instances.

Njengere said that this year, no extra papers will also be printed.

It emerged that in every 100 examination papers, an extra paper was printed and made available to the examination center.

Examination officials say that these are some of the gaps tapped by cheats to dent credibility of the tests. He also said that candidates will not be able to sit for subjects they are not registered for, unlike the past when Knec allowed this in what was referred to as under-protest candidates.

 Ghost candidates

These reforms also mean that only registered candidates will be able to sit the exam and only for the subjects they listed for.

“We gave you two months to register candidates and we even did a campaign where we met all centre managers and informed them of these innovations. We, therefore, expect that all candidates’ details were captured accurately at the registration stage and there will be no room for excuses,” said Njengere.

The 2024 examination and assessments cycle started with registration of candidates which was undertaken for two months between January 29 and March 29.

Some 965,501 candidates registered for KCSE examination, compared to the 903,264 candidates who sat the examination in 2023, recording a 6.89 per cent increase in candidature.

Similarly, a total of 1,313,913 candidates registered for the Kenya Primary School Education (KPSEA), recording a 2.38 per cent rise from the 1,283,339 candidates presented in 2023.

“Knec will be administering national examination and assessments to a total of 2,279,397 candidates, countrywide at the end of this year,” said Njengere.

He said all candidates presented for the examination are the eligible, school-going students who have been learning in their schools.

“Registration of ghost candidates constitutes an examination malpractice, which attracts sanctions, including de-registration of the school as a Knec examination centre.

He said all candidates must adhere to the laid down regulations on subject entry requirements for grading (subject clusters) as stipulated in the Regulations for the KCSE examination issued by the council.

It also emerged that 41 additional containers will be erected to enhance double collection and also stem early exposure of examination papers.

“Morning and afternoon papers will be packed in separate cartons and clearly strapped and labelled so that in the first collection, the afternoon carton remains sealed at the container,” said Njengere.

The strategy of collecting examination papers twice a day for the KCSE examination was introduced last year to ensure that no candidate has access to the examination prior to the set time.

The council also urged stakeholders to share with Knec and investigative agencies any exam papers that they may come across before the container is opened.

This, he said, is aimed at elevating notions that question papers get leaked before they are retrieved from the containers.

“Take a photo and send it to us and any other independent body that you trust and keep your copy. After the paper is done, let us compare with the real paper that the candidates have sat,” said Njengere. 

Njengere urged school heads to support the council and the ministry in the successful implementation of the strategies, as well as cascade the information to all their members.

Private candidates

Additional changes reveal that for the first time, private candidates will sit their theory papers at the County headquarters, unlike in the past when they sat at the sub-county headquarters.

For Nairobi candidates, a venue will be identified and communicated to the candidates in good time.

Njengere stressed the need for stakeholders’ engagement saying they are crucial for the successful administration of the national examinations and assessments, which informed the stakeholders’ meeting. 

Knec will also roll out various stakeholder meetings from next month as has been the practice. 

“Knec considered it important to engage with you who are key in the conduct of the KCSE examination, prior to the national briefing and sensitization forums. The meeting aims at sharing with you the progress of innovations that have been put in place for the KCSE examination for enhanced effectiveness of the process,” he said.

The council has also been administering School Based Assessments at Grades 4, 5, 7 and 8 learners, in addition to a pilot study conducted for the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) in 265 sampled schools countrywide last month.

Njengere said that the report, which is currently being prepared, will be expected to inform and concretize administration of the KJSEA to the first cohort of CBC pupils in 2025, as they transit to Senior Secondary.