Nairobi — Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has announced that national exam papers will now be collected twice daily as opposed to collecting all papers for the day once as it has been the customary.
Speaking during the 46th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) annual national conference at Sheikh Zayed Hall in Mombasa, Machogu said that the paper to be done in the morning will be collected in the morning.
The afternoon papers also to be collected in the afternoon at the various containers across the country.
"The government shall eradicate early exposure of the examination paper by reviewing the collection procedure of the examination papers, "he said.
"This is to minimize the chances of the papers being exposed to learners before they sit for it to curb cheating," he said.
He added that In order to achieve solid management and control of exam materials in the future, the Ministry would expand the number of containers in the sub-counties and the counties.
This came after Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) chairman Indimuli Kahi urged the Kenya National Examination Council to assure the principals that there will be no leakage of examination papers in 2023.
"That is something that as a nation, we must answer together. Why do we see resemblance of examination papers flying around in mobile phones before that paper is sat for by the candidates?" Kahi posed.
"Where is this paper coming from? If it is from us, then we stand accused. Because we have been accused of doing the same before."
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However, Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang said this is a matter of trust.
Kipsang said the deficit of trust in the country makes it a challenge.
"If we deal with the trust deficit, we can even give a whole month's papers," the PS said.
"It is this trust deficit that also makes students go on the rampage and destroy schools, although he acknowledged this is gradually coming down."
Kipsang stated that it is depressing to learn that teachers and pupils must have armed security agents behind them just during national exams when it comes to assessment.
He said that in order to build a relationship of trust with the students, the principals must be able to address the issues that young people face.
"What is it that we have done to earn the trust of the students? Why is it that doctors go into an operating theatre without armed security? Why is it that lawyers go to court without armed policemen? Why is it only when we are assessing students?" Kipsang posed.
