The Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) says it has identified 30 secondary schools, which have been planning to cheat in national examinations set to start next month.
Knec chairman George Magoha said three schools are in Garissa, four in Kisii and five in Meru.
Other hotspot counties are; Kiambu, West Pokot,and Wajir and some parts of Nyanza.
The schools are said to have been collecting money from parents who attended prayer day to facilitate officers who will be involved in the overseen the examination not to be strict.
The revelation came out during a meeting that was presided over by Education Principal Secretary Bellio Kipsang and attended by Knec officials led by Prof Magoha, acting chief executive officer Mercy Karogo, officials of secondary and primary school heads associations and regional edication coordinators at Kenya Institute of curriculum development (KICD). The meeting had been called to deliberate over measures to stamp out cheating in the 2018 national examinations.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Prof Magoha said officers will be dispatched to schools that are under spotlight this week.
“We do not want to create panic in schools during examination time so we will engage schools that are affected,” he said. Already 26 teachers among them principals are on interdiction for last year’s examination irregularities.”
“We are closely monitoring those schools and we want to ask them stop such plans immediately,” said Prof Magoha.
He said he had visited schools in Migori, Homabay , Nyamira and Kisiii while Knec acting chief executive officer Mercy Karogo had visited Central region in an examination pre-monitoring exercise.
Dr Kipsang will today (Tuesday) visit Nyeri and Isiolo counties while other Knec officers will visit other regions.
Dr Kipsang asked school heads not to be tempted into cheating saying the penalty will be severe.
“We are determined to deliver credible examination the way we have done in the last two years,” said Dr Kipsang adding that Kenya Secondary schools Heads Association (Kessha) officials had assured them that no cheating will occur.
KNEC CHAIRMAN George Magoha says 4 secondary schools in Kisii, 3 in Garissa and 5 in Meru under investigation over KCSE cheating plans. pic.twitter.com/zcvDRqiCYa
— NationBreakingNews (@NationBreaking) October 1, 2018
30 schools placed on KNEC watch list. Schools linked to exam malpractices.
20 individuals also on watch list. Exams start at the end of the month#MondaySpecial w/ @AnneKiguta pic.twitter.com/qsWEalmEzp— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 1, 2018