The Ministry of Education has in the past two years put drastic measures to curb exam cheating countrywide. [Photo/Citizen TV] 

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The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has responded to earlier reports suggesting that the release of the 2017 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results was scheduled for Monday, December 18.

Through a statement, KNEC’s Chairman Prof George Magoha denied that the Ministry of Education was readying for the release.

“Our attention has been drawn to rumours circulating in the social media that the Ministry of Education will be releasing the 2017 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results on Monday,” Magoha’s statement read in part.

Prof Magoha observed that the marking process is so sensitive “that the council often carries out meticulously and without any external pressure.”

He said the Ministry of Education will use its official channels to announce the date and the time of releasing the KCSE results as soon as the marking process is complete to satisfaction.

All eyes are set to Education CS Fred Matiang’i and his team over this year’s results.

Last year the CS announced results that broke the trend in immediate previous years where only 141 candidates scored the coveted grade ‘A’.

In 2015, 2,685 students attained the grade countrywide.

4,645 candidates scored grade A–, 10,975 attained B+ while 17,216 scored B plain. A total of 55,952 candidates scored B– and C+ in last year’s results. Further, a total of 88,929 candidates attained the university entry grade of C+ and above compared to 169,492 in the previous year.

Interestingly, girls dominated the top performers list.

A total of 16 girls made to the top 20 best performing candidates nationally in last year’s examinations.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i who is largely credited for the rapid reforms in the Education sector declared this year that no irregularities would be registered.

“To strengthen our education system, we need to administer credible exams. There will be no leakage or cheating. The regulations will be two or three times tougher than last year,” the CS said at Kericho High School in November, while witnessing the opening of the exam container.