Special courts will hear exam cheating cases, says CS Ogamba

The government has introduced specialised courts to prosecute cheats to safeguard the integrity of the exam, especially the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) that starts on Thursday.

The courts are expected to streamline the prosecution process by prioritising cases of academic dishonesty during examination periods, thereby expediting justice and deterring would-be offenders.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the courts are designed to fast-track these cases, with the goal of concluding them within three months.

“We are going to take very serious criminal action against anyone involved in the vice. This will include having special courts to deal with cases as they occur,” Ogamba warned.

The CS further warned stern action against teachers found engaging in exam malpractice, adding that they will be blacklisted from practicing.

“After blacklisting the police will not issue you with a certificate of good conduct, after that you will not work anywhere in this country in any sector. We will be getting a register to blacklist you,” he said.

Speaking yesterday after unveiling this year’s Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) exam in Westlands, Ogamba observed that during the KPSEA assessment, security officers will be scaled down only to transport papers.

“With the KPSEA papers, you will not see much militarisation or many police guarding students. They will only be there to secure the papers from the container and back. This marks a shift toward a less intimidating exam atmosphere, particularly for younger candidates,” he said.

Ogamba emphasised that the government’s approach goes beyond merely punishing offenders; it aims to reinforce a culture of integrity.

“By taking a firm stand today, the government is paving the way for a future where academic achievements are earned through hard work, dedication, and integrity,” he said.

The CS noted that this is part of a broader effort to ensure that Kenya’s education system rewards honesty and builds a merit-based culture, a vision supported by intensified security measures around exams.

“We will defuse the notion of people producing A’s in this country. By fostering a supportive environment, schools can help students understand the importance of earning their achievements honestly and discourage them from seeking shortcuts,” he said.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang echoed his boss' sentiments assuring that focus will be on creating a supportive environment for students.

“We shall leave our children to be as relaxed as possible. This time we shall not have anybody guarding our children. Police officers will be involved in logistical support, transporting and delivering exam papers,” he said.

Speaking at Lang’ata Sub-County office, the PS said the government has already trusted tutors with summative assessment hence there was a lot of trust in the remaining assignment.

“They have already earned 60 percent which was supervised by our teachers, we want to leave it to teachers to supervise our children,” he said.

A total of 1.3 million pupils are sitting for the KPSEA exam running from October 28 to October 30. On Monday, candidates sat for the Mathematics paper and later in the afternoon did English assessment.

However, for secondary school exams which began on October 22 and end on November 22, Dr Kipsang affirmed that enhanced security remains essential.

“We shall be walking with our colleagues in the Interior  ministry to take care of our high stake exams which is Form Four. We have been working closely with school principals to prepare our children, and we want candidates to know they will be examined fairly on what they have learned,” said Dr Kipsang.

To ensure that exams are administered effectively, CS Ogamba said a multi-agency team comprising of the Education ministry, ministry of Interior and ministry of Information and Technology was put in place.

“We have security features that have been infused on the examination papers to avert any form of tempering. We want to ensure we deliver a credible and fair assessment and examination,” said Ogamba.

On security, the CS disclosed that particular regions, identified as previous hot spots for exam irregularities, will receive enhanced surveillance.

“These areas have been marked for heightened surveillance and will receive additional resources to deter cheating,” he stated.

He further assured that exams will go on in areas perceived to be insecure, maintaining that the government has tamed the volatility despite recent attacks.

“Areas which have been affected by skirmishes like Tana River, we have made arrangements for students to be hosted in security camps for them to undertake the assessment,” he said.

To further combat cheating, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Chief Executive Officer David Njengere said KNEC introduced new security features for exam materials, including unique markings, tamper-evident seals, and personalization for each candidate.

“We have personalized the examination papers so that each candidate will have their details already printed,” explained Njengere.

This initiative prevents unregistered students from taking exams and ensures accountability, as candidates will be questioned if their papers are misused as well as making it easier to track the distribution and handling of exam materials.

Additionally, candidate names and index numbers will be removed before marking to prevent any potential bias, preserving fairness throughout the grading process.

“At the end of each paper, the part containing the candidates’ details will be torn off and packed separately to guard against the examiners identifying the candidates during marking,” Njengere observed.

During the exam period, KNEC will pack papers in separate cartons for morning and afternoon sessions, keeping the afternoon papers sealed until the initial collection is complete.

Despite these extensive preparations, education stakeholders agree that lasting change in exam integrity requires more than just penalties.

Akelo Misori, Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), pointed out the importance of technology and fostering a culture of integrity in schools.

“Leveraging technology effectively, and promoting a culture of integrity within the educational system, will be a remedy in curbing exam malpractice,” he said.

Collins Oyuu, Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), echoed this sentiment, calling for a collective commitment to uphold honesty, hard work, and respect within Kenya’s educational community.

“Building a culture of academic integrity requires a collective commitment to uphold values such as honesty and respect for the educational process,” he said.