1 November 2007
editorial
Nairobi — At least nine people have been arrested in Nairobi, Gucha and Mombasa in a crackdown on examination cheating. This follows a report in this paper on Monday about a Mathematics paper that was leaked and sent to our office in Machakos by an anonymous person.
Since the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination started last week, there have been claims of papers making their way out of the Kenya National Examinations Council's strongrooms unlawfully.
But until Monday, the papers we received were fake, which was a consolation that there may have been no leakage.
What has become worrying in recent times is the tendency to take shortcuts in exams. Not surprisingly, many candidates and their parents easily fall prey and buy fake papers, seeking an edge in the exams. They hardly contemplate the risks they are taking.
That is why all efforts must be made to arrest and arraign the suspects in courts, and make them face the consequences of their actions.
At a conceptual level, the increased cases of cheating illustrate the fact that we, as a country, have put too much emphasis on passing examinations.
Candidates and schools are under extreme pressure to excel. Anyone who fails an exam is considered to be a failure in life. None can proceed to a higher level or acquire a job without good passes.
Perhaps time has come to begin debating on the whole question of examinations. Should we continue with a system in which candidates are tested for what they have learnt at the end of four or eight years? Can't we use continuous assessment tests and other exams to gauge candidates' ability, thus minimising the cut-throat competition associated with final exams?
This will certainly have implications on the entire education system, but it's an idea worth considering.
In the interim, we urge the candidates, teachers, guardians and the general public to be on the look-out for exam cheating, as the authorities also look out for the cheats.
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