Education CS Ezekiel Machogu’s first goof over KCSE exams fraud, experts leaders demand probe
Credibility questions have risen after the release of the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu with leaders demanding for investigations on the sudden rise in the number of candidates with exemplary performance.
The results announced on Friday last week showed an improvement in the number of candidates who scored an A plain as compared to the previous year.
A total of 1,146 candidates scored an A compared to 1,138 candidates in 2021.
In most schools, the university entry shot up as almost every candidate will get direct entry to universities as compared to 2021.
For instance, Nyambaria High school showed an exemplary performance with 28 candidates out of the 488 candidates scoring As compared to four in 2021 and the lowest grade for the class being a B minus with the school recording a mean score of 10.
The CS however defended the exemplary performance posted by the school and commended its principal, Boaz Owino as an academic achiever.
Several politicians have criticised the Kenya Kwanza administration with some leaders claiming that the 2022 results should be disbanded and an audit carried out.
Former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando said the statistics released by Machogu on a particular region did not add up.
According to other leaders, some schools not only had the exam questions well in advance, but were also equipped with the marking scheme, which they used to guide their candidates.
However, while releasing the results, Machogu dismissed claims of any irregularities during the exam period.
He said that the ministry enforced a mechanism that minimised leakages and any malpractices.
“We did come up with a mechanism that accountability was transferred to the personal level,” The centre manager will be personally accountable for any irregularities. We designed a form for security personnel to sign how things went,” he said.
He refuted claims that exams were leaked to favor some counties during the exams while others were singled out.
The CS called for Kenyans to focus on the number of students who will join universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institutions.
