Post date: Wed, Mar 9, 2016 | | Category: Education | |
This week we provide analysis of the trends in the KCSE examination in terms of irregularities with an aim of identifying any existing patterns with regards to the occurrences of the exam malpractices. This is illustrated below:
Source: Kenya National Examination Council
Examination irregularities are becoming a norm that is affecting the education sector in Kenya. According to the speech delivered by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, “…numerous examination irregularity cases were reported in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination of 2015. Individuals involved in the irregularities included; the Chief Examiners, Supervisors, Invigilators, County and Sub County Education officials, KNEC Monitoring officers, Candidates, Head teachers and members of the General Public”. The irregularities led to the cancelation of results for 5,101 candidates, representing 0.98% of the total candidature in the KCSE 2015 exams. In 2014, candidates involved in exam irregularities totaled 2,975, meaning that irregularities in 2015 indicate an increase by 71.4% from the previous year.
In regard to examination centres, 305 examination centres in the KCSE 2015 exams had exam irregularities, representing 3.53% of the total examination centres. Statistics on the irregularities in counties reveal that Makueni, Nairobi and Meru top the list with 22, 20 and 18 examination centres involved respectively. However, in regard to the number of candidates; Makueni, Bomet and Kisii counties had the highest number of candidates involved in examination irregularities with 382, 343 and 294 candidates respectively.
The Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i, gave an assurance of taking appropriate action on all persons found culpable. He noted that a total of 171 persons have since been arrested and charged in a Court of law for committing various offences related to the KCSE 2015 exams. Those arrested include 11 School Principals and Deputy School Principals, 34 Teachers from public secondary schools, 5 Teachers from public secondary schools, 22 University and College students, 104 KCSE examination candidates, 2 Police Officers, 1 TSC Secretariat employee among others.
The cyclical nature of the exam irregularities in the KCSE exams, reveal a wavy pattern of the occurrences of the exam irregularities both with regards to the number of candidates involved and the examination centers affected. Even after taking into account the changes in the number of candidates and the examination centers for different years, the trends in the shares/proportions (as shown in the graphs) still shows a cyclical nature of the exam irregularities in the KCSE exams.
Number of the Week: 2,181
• 5,101 candidates were involved in KCSE examination irregularities in 2015, representing 71.4% increase from 2014
• 305 examination centres were involved in KCSE examination irregularities in 2015, representing 75.3% increase from 2014.
• From 2006 to 2015, averagely 2,181 candidates and 160 exam centres are involved in KCSE exam irregularities.
• Years with highest recorded irregularities are observed to be odd years i.e. those not divisible by two (as shown in the table below). They reveal an increasing trend.
2007 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | |
No. of candidates involved in KCSE exam irregularities | 1,875 | 2,927 | 3,812 | 5,101 |
2006 | 2010 | 2012 | 2014 | |
No. of Candidates involved in KCSE exam irregularities | 741 | 539 | 1,254 | 2,975 |
2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | |
No. of Exam centres involved in KCSE exam irregularities | 243 | 146 | 154 | 199 | 305 |
2006 | 2008 | 2010 | 2012 | 2014 | |
No. of Exam centres | 108 | 119 | 69 | 82 | 174 |
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