Examinations preparedness is in top-gear after Secondary schools began their practical papers Tuesday.
In Kisumu County, security chiefs and stakeholders from the Teachers’ Service Commission, Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and the Ministry of ICT are meeting to map out exam centres.
Kisumu County is among the regions earmarked as examination cheating hotspots where the ministry plans to lay its major focus.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education highlighted some 315 examination centres as high-risk areas in terms of exam cheating.
Education CS Prof. George Magoha would reveal that these areas would be under two-kilometre radius surveillance to monitor any irregularity.
Securing Exams; Education stakeholders meet in Kisumu ahead of the national exams #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/LPmtnJ9puT
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 22, 2019
The Ministry of Education partnered with that of ICT to ensure maximum surveillance and communications that come into and out of the exam centres.
The other regions earmarked for their propensity to cheat are Kisii, Homabay, Migori and Bungoma counties.
Following closely on the examiner’s radar are Machakos, Meru, Isiolo, Turkana, West Pokot, Kericho, Narok, Elgeyo Marakwet, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties.
Already, two Assistant County Commissioners have been arrested after they lost keys to exam safe-houses in their areas.
Machakos Assistant County Commissioner was arrested after she reported that thieves broke into her car and stole the keys inside her handbag.
2 officials interdicted ahead of national examinations; Elizabeth Karitu and Lukenya County Commissioner Assistant interdicted for losing exams container key #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/1Z5E49hMzM
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 22, 2019
In the national examinations, some 1.8 million candidates are poised to sit for the tests with 699,745 being KCSE candidates while 1,088, 986 being Primary pupils.
Out of the 30 teachers accused of abetting examination malpractice in 2018, 20 have been fired with eight being transferred and another two being served with warning letters.