Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu refused to provide data on cheating in national exams during a press conference on Friday.
In the past, officials used to give the number of cases of cheating recorded during the exam period, as well as the names of schools, principals, and supervisors who were caught cheating.
However, Machogu stated that cheating is “not the kind that we used to have before” and that his ministry’s strict measures have been successful in curbing cases of exam leakage. He did not provide specific numbers or information about punishments for those caught cheating.
Machogu attributed the success in curbing cheating to a well-coordinated collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Communication. He said that the collaboration helped to detect attempts from individuals who were trying to leak or cheat using technology.
The Cabinet Secretary went on to say, “From what we did, changing the system a little, I’m happy to report that we did not experience the kind of cheating, the kind of malpractices that we used to get before.”
While Machogu was unwilling to provide specific figures on cheating, he admitted that cheating was recorded.
But he failed to provide any details about the number of cases or the punishment that will be meted out to those who were caught.
He also did not address any concerns about cheating in the future.
In the past, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) was known for its tough measures against members who were involved in exam cheating. In 2021, TSC interdicted a total of 27 teachers who were manning the KCSE exams.
However, like Machogu, TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia did not speak about teachers involved in exam malpractices, unlike in previous years.
Overall, it seems that Machogu is taking a more secretive approach to cheating in national exams.
While he claims that his ministry’s measures have been successful in curbing cheating, he has provided no concrete evidence to support this claim.
Without specific figures and information about punishments for those caught cheating, it is difficult to know the true extent of the problem and whether the measures being taken are actually effective.
