A total of 30 schools across the country are under investigation for collecting money from parents in order to aid cheating in the national examinations set for next month.
Kenya National examinations Council (Knec) Chairman George Magoha on Monday disclosed that three of the schools that are involved in the practice are in Garissa, four in Kisii and five in Meru.
“We are closely monitoring those schools and we want to ask them stop such plans immediately,” said Prof Magoha.
He was addressing journalists at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) after attending a meeting with regional education officials and school principals.
He said he had visited schools in Migori, Homa Bay, Nyamira and Kisii while Knec acting chief executive officer Mercy Karogo had visited central Kenya in an examination pre-monitoring exercise.
Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang will Tuesday visit Nyeri and Isiolo counties while other Knec officers will visit other regions.
Dr Kipsang urged school heads not to be tempted into cheating, saying the penalty for it will be severe.
“We are determined to deliver credible examinations the way we have done in the last two years,” said Dr Kipsang.
The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association assured Kenyans that it will support the move to maintain high levels of exams integrity.
Last week, Public secondary schools claimed are facing a cash crisis, raising concerns that this could affect preparations for the national examinations.
Head teachers yesterday cautioned that examination materials such as specimen for practical subjects for use by candidates sitting the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams might not be ready in time.
Support staff such as laboratory technicians, who are critical in exam preparations, have not been paid their salaries.
The worst hit by the crisis are day secondary schools, which do not have budgets to reallocate, as well as primary schools, which are also presenting candidates for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association National chairman Kahi Indimuli said schools were expected to make necessary timely preparations in laboratories, but were behind schedule. “By now we are expected to make all the arrangements for examinations so that when the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) sends the list of items to be bought, we are ready,” said Mr Indimuli. Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, however, said money would be disbursed to schools next week.
Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said the Government had fully settled 30 per cent of the cash for schools, meaning that all fees for second term have been paid. Each primary school pupil receives Sh1,420 capitation per year and those in free day secondary schools are allocated Sh22,244.
Kenya Primary School Heads Association National Chairman Shem Ndolo said primary schools were also affected. Indimuli said that as 1.7 million candidates prepare to sit examinations, the funds should be sent to schools in time. “This is the term we expect less interruptions because of examinations,” said Indimuli. Some 1,060,703 candidates will sit the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination, with 664,585 sitting KCSE. KCPE examinations will be done in 27,161 centres while 10,077 centres will host KCSE candidates.