Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, on Thursday, made sure that no cases of exam irregularities will arise at Utawala Academy in Nairobi in a speech which although meant to encourage the candidates, also targeted exam cheats.
The CS advised pupils planning to engage in mischief to just do their best in the exams and “leave the rest to the Lord”, noting that life will move on after the tests.
Amidst pin-drop silence and exchange of nervous looks by the Standard 8 pupils, Matiang’i stated that the part he likes most about his life is ensuring that rules are followed to the letter.
“My default position is kukaa ngumu (maintaining my strictness),” Matiang’i told the seemingly terrified students and teachers in attendance.
“When things must be done right they must be done right,” he added.
We won't hesitate to take disciplinary or punitive action against anyone found engaging in or aiding malpractices in the upcoming national examinations. Our objective is to ensure every candidate scores his/her deserved grade. pic.twitter.com/5hIrvSodkc
— Dr. Fred Matiang'i (@FredMatiangi) October 24, 2019
As a demonstration of how serious the government is about curbing exam malpractices, the tough-talking CS confirmed that an exam officer was already locked up for allegedly losing the key to an exam container, just a week to the kickoff of the 2019 tests.
“I had the officer interdicted, arrested, and immediately locked up,” Matiang’i said referring to Lukenya Assistant County Commissioner Elizabeth Karitu, who claimed that unknown people broke into her car and stole the key while she was running errands in Nairobi.
In 2017, the government started storing exam material in metallic containers, as a means to prevent unauthorised access to the said items prior to the examination day.
Matiang’i reiterated his warning to students and teachers on social media, writing, “we won’t hesitate to take disciplinary or punitive action against anyone found engaging in or aiding malpractices in the upcoming national examinations. Our objective is to ensure every candidate scores his/her deserved grade.”
This year’s KCPE examination will be administered from Monday to Thursday, while the KCSE examination will run from November 4 to November 27.