The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has rejected fresh changes announced by Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i aimed at curbing exam cheating in 2016 KCPE and KCSE.
According to a KNUT press conference held on Monday, May 23, 2016, they said that the review of term dates and measures to curb cheating in KCPE and KCSE exams will result to unrest in the schools.
On May 18, Matiang’i announced that KCPE and KCSE exams will be done when schools close in October and November.
School heads will be the managers of the exams, a break from the past where the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) appointed officials to oversee the tests.
Following the re-organisation, KCPE will start on November 1, 2016 and end three days after, while KCSE will start on November 7 and end on November 30.
Changes in the management of the tests is part of the overhaul of the KNEC processes by a new team that is headed by the former VC at University of Nairobi George Magokha.
The changes come after KNEC’s credibility was dealt a blow following cases of massive cheating in the tests during the 2015 KCPE and KCSE exams, leading to the sacking of senior managers at the council and reconstitution of the board.
KCSE 2015 exams saw a 70 per cent increase in students’ cheating incidents (5,101) as compared to 2014 where only 2,975 candidates were involved in exam irregularities.