As the country prepares for the national examinations and assessments, it is quite commendable that they will be administered under new tough rules. The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) is determined to curb cheating.
However, this seems to have become a ritual that the Knec and education authorities engage in year after year. There is no doubt about the need to safeguard the examinations and assessments. Strict rules are necessary to ensure that the true verdict of the administered tests emerges so that the candidates can be placed in career pathways determined by their real abilities and potential.
The Knec will administer two competency-based education assessments, the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA). It is also preparing for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination. A record 3,634,846 candidates have been registered for the national tests, which is the highest number ever.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has warned that there will be no mercy for those found to engage in any form of malpractice. All the candidates, centre managers, supervisors and invigilators must fully comply with the regulations or face the full force of the law.
The Knec has cautioned parents against making any payments to people claiming to have the papers before they are administered. The council has also set up a round-the-clock call centre with toll-free numbers for reporting malpractices.
Officials who will handle the tests are undergoing mandatory briefings to prepare them to effectively perform their duties in this crucial national undertaking.
It is also good to hear that the counties have drawn up contingency plans to mitigate the consequences of the expected above-average El Niño rains.
All the necessary measures should be taken to enhance the credibility of the tests, which will determine the future of the young candidates.
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