Nairobi — The last group of Form Four examination candidates completed the test on Monday paving the way for marking, from next week.

The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam, which started on October 21 ended with the candidates sitting the optional practical subjects in power mechanics, drawing and design and computer studies. Also written on Monday was music, an optional subject.

In all, 330,000 candidates sat the exam, the 20th edition since the 8-4-4 education system began. This year's KCSE exam will be subjected to a new water-tight marking system that guarantees greater accuracy and fairness in awarding scores.

Four examiners

The chain system bars markers from handling all answers by a candidate in any paper. Instead, an examiner will be required to mark only one question from any candidate, according to the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec).

This means that a paper like Christian Religious Education paper two, which requires a candidate to answer four questions, will be marked by four different examiners in what is being called the conveyor-belt system.

Knec chief executive officer Paul Wasanga said in July that the new marking system had undergone two years of piloting and would be fully used in all examinable subjects this year. Headteachers said the system would weed out individual biases common when one examiner handles all papers from one centre.

School principals threw their weight behind the reform plan. The marking is expected to end before Christmas. The results are usually released either late January or early February.