The Kenya National Examinations Council has released briefing notes meant for field officers who shall administer national examinations
THE KENYA NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL
BRIEFING AND SENSITIZATION NOTES FOR FIELD OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE 2022 KPSEA, KCPE AND KCSE EXAMINATIONS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The 2022 National examinations’ field administration season will commence with the rehearsals of the KCSE examinations scheduled to take place on 18th November
1.1 Key Dates
1.1.1 KCSE examination Rehearsals: 18th November 2022;
1.1.2 KCSE examination Oral and practical papers: 21st to 25th November, 2022;
1.1.3 There is an expectation that the Kenya Kwanza administration could announce a decision on the contentious Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC).
1.1.4 KPSEA and KCPE examination rehearsals: 25th November 2022;
1.1.5 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA): and KCPE examination administration: 28th to 30th November, 2022
1.2 Objectives of the briefing and sensitization sessions:
1.2.1 To jointly cascade the guidelines and instructions on administration of the 2022 National examinations, this being a unique year with the roll out of KPSEA and KILEA, alongside KCPE and KCSE examinations;
1.2.2 To sensitize all field personnel on the innovations that have been introduced in the examination administration process in 2022;
1.2.3 To create a forum to discuss the challenges faced in the examination administration cycle for future improvement.
1.3 Key Processes in Examination Administration to be discussed
During this briefing the following shall be discussed in relation to administration of the 2022 National examinations:
1.3.1 Registration of examination centres
1.3.2 Registration of candidates;
1.3.3 Recruitment and Deployment of field officers;
1.3.4 Management and Administration of Examinations;
1.3.5 Assessment of learners following stage-based pathway;
1.3.6 Quality assurance during national examinations;
1.3.7 Handling of candidates’ answer scripts;
1.3.8 Receiving and handling of scripts.
NB: Roles of Personnel involved in the management are well documented in the Manual on the conduct of examinations’ document which is available in all schools as well as in the KNEC website.
2.0 REGISTRATION OF EXAMINATION CENTRES
2.1 On registration of examination centres, it should be noted that only those centres that have been registered with the Ministry of Education as learning institution, apply to the Council to be an examination centre one (1) year before they register candidates and have the necessary basics such as adequate examination rooms/halls (which can accommodate at least 20 candidates, spaced at 1.22 metres in all directions) with good lighting, ventilation, security, qualified staff, reference materials and adequate furniture.
2.2 It has been noted that there are institutions that acquired fake certificates of approval as examination centres while others get provisional certificates which expire before they get their full registration certificates. Such institutions will not be recognized by KNEC.
2.3 Some of these institutions do not have the required facilities and usually have small examination rooms which not only compromise examination security but also stretch KNEC’s budget on supervision and invigilation as more invigilators end up being recruited.
2.4 Coding of KPSEA assessment centres; there are a number of discrepancies in the CBA portal as far as the coding of assessment centres is concerned. Some of the assessment centres have been assigned more than one KNEC code by the SCDEs.
2.5 The SCDEs are requested to communicate to the Council in writing the assessment centres that have since closed so that they are removed from the CBA portal.
2.6 The SCDEs to also communicate to the Council those assessment centres that were coded without pre-requisites for action. In case, the affected centres have learners, he/she should facilitate their transfer to recognized assessment centres.
2.7 New assessment centres should be coded at grade 3 if they meet the pre-requisites. The role of the SCDEs will code the centre, then with the attachments forward to the Council for uploading of the assessment centre in the portal. The SCDEs will not have the right to upload the assessment centre in the CBA portal as has been the practice before. No assessment centre will be coded beyond grade 3. This should be rought to the attention of all persons/organizations planning to set up an institution of learning so that they make prior arrangements.
2.8 All new schools wishing to be considered as KNEC examination centres both for KPSEA and KCPE examination must submit valid registration document to KNEC by 30th December 2022.
3.0 REGISTRATION OF CANDIDATES
3.1 registration of candidates is done online and within set timelines. The Centre Managers, SCDE and TSC SCD are required to ensure that all their candidates are registered to avoid errors and penalties it attracts.
3.2 The Centre Managers should ensure accuracy of candidates’ biodata, subjects to be taken, correctly capture of repeaters’ and non-citizens candidates’ details. Registration fees for these candidates should be remitted upon registration to avoid pending of their results.
3.3 They should upload the correct candidate’s photographs and provide sufficient information on learners with Special Needs.
3.4 It is the responsibility of the centre managers to advise candidates with foreign qualifications to seek equation before registration of candidates.
3.5 Over-reliance on cyber-cafes is discouraged as they end up submitting erroneous data.
3.6 Assigned copy of the photo album should be printed and handed over to the supervisor on the rehearsal day for use in the identification of candidates during administration of the examination.
3.7 KPSEA registration data for the current grade 6 learners has a lot of errors. Most schools never edited the data when they were required to do so. The Council has been requesting so many requests on a daily basis to edit the data, and it has since become overwhelming – some of the requests are yet to be concluded.
3.8 To avoid this scenario in future for the current grade 5, Heads of Institutions are reminded to be regularly logging in their CBA portal to verify and clean registration data for grades 3, 4 & 5. They should not wait until the learners are in grade 6.
3.9 All corrections on registration data to be done on the printout with a red pen. Any letter written by the supervisor or head teacher to be stapled to the attendance register.
4.0 RECRUITMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF SUPERVISION PERSONNEL
4.1 The Council, like it has been the case before will use the multi-agency approach to administer the 2022 KPSEA, KCPE and KCSE examinations. The organization will work closely with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior and National Administration and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to manage national examination.
4.2 The Ministry of Education through the Sub-County Directors of Education (SCDE) are expected to identify and nominate officers to oversee the management of the examinations at the container and at the Sub-County. Officers to be deployed at the container and the number required are well indicated in the CP2 system.
4.3 During KPSEA and KCPE an additional clerk can be recruited to ease the distribution of examination materials for the two examinations.
4.4 The Ministry of Interior and National Administration has identified the Deputy, Assistant County Commissioners and Security to be in charge of security of the containers and examination centres.
4.5 Examination centres with more than two hundred and fifty (250) candidates are allowed to engage an additional security officer.
4.6 The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) through the Sub County Directors (SCD) have identified, nominated and vetted Centre Managers (CM), Supervisors (SUP) and Invigilators (INV); and deployed them to examination centres. TSC Sub County Directors will be expected to ensure accurate data of supervisors and invigilators has been captured online and in the declaration form before it is submitted to the Council.
4.7 All teachers in a school must be deployed as supervisors and invigilators.
4.8 Erasing details of officers who have worked and replacing them with persons who have not worked will be treated as fraud and the fraud will result in not engaging the officers in charge of deployment in future due to integrity issues.
4.9 Centre Managers are the heads of the institutions/examination centres upon deployment by the TSC SCD. They are supposed to take online attendance of the officers deployed in the examination centre. These officers include Centre Managers Supervisors, Invigilators and Security Officers. All unauthorized staff must keep off the examination centre. They will not be allowed in the examination centres during the following timeline, KCPE and KPSEA from 7 am to 2 pm and KCSE from 7 am to 3 pm.
4.10 The following are the authorized persons expected in the examination centres:
4.10.1 Centre Manager;
4.10.2 Deputy Principal/Headteacher;- where an examination centre has more than one deputy then the centre manager shall designate one deputy to assist him/her;
4.10.3 Supervisor(s);
4.10.4 Invigilators(s);
4.10.5 Gatekeeper;
4.10.6 Laboratory technician and science teacher only during practicals;
4.10.7 Authorized support staff to prepare meals for candidates;
4.10.8 The Centre Manager should prepare a list of the authorized centre staff at the start of the examination as guided by the list above. The list should indicate the Name, ID Number, TSC Number, Telephone Number, Designation/Role, and Teaching subject.
4.11 Supervisors are teachers from within the Sub-County. Every examination centre must have a Supervisor who is expected to ensure successful conduct of examinations in the centres they have been appointed to serve. The number of supervisors in an examination centre is determined by the number of candidates in the centre. For every two hundred (200) candidates there should be one (1) supervisor.
4.12 Invigilators on the other hand are identified and recruited to ensure that examinations are conducted according to KNEC rules and regulations in an examination room. They work under the instructions of the supervisor. The number of invigilators is determined by the number of candidates in an examination centre. For every twenty (20) candidates, there should be one (1) invigilator.
4.13 Centre managers, supervisors and invigilators are responsible to the TSC Sub-County Directors, When recruiting the personnel, the TSC Sub County Directors should ensure they do not;
4.14. Over recruit since the Council operates on a budget like any other organization.
4.15. Deploy supervisors and invigilators in once examination centre for more than two consecutive years;
4.16. Source supervisors and invigilators from adjacent examination centres. This mainly applied where examination centres are located in the same compound or close to one another.
4.17 The hosted centres will be entitled to one invigilator or two invigilators depending on the number of hosted candidates. Hosted centres must be accompanying their candidates and ensure they maintain discipline of their candidates throughout the examination period.
4.18 Deploy supervisor to manage examination for a candidate in hospital/prison. Candidates in hospitals are supposed to be assigned an invigilator and security officer who are supposed to sign declaration form on the space allowed of the Examination Centre of the candidate clearly indicating the candidate’s details number of days they have invigilated in the hospital/prison as required.
4.19. Identification badges. All centre managers, supervisors and invigilators must have identification badges.
4.20 Roles of Personnel involved in the management are well documented in the instructions on the conduct of examination document which is available for download from the KNEC website.
5.0 MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF EXAMINATIONS
The following should be noted during the management and administration of the 2022 KPSEA, KCPE and KCSE examinations:
5.1 Hosted examination centres;
The Council requested examination centers with less than 30 candidates to be hosted by centres with more than 30 candidates in order to;
5.1.1 Ensure there are adequate armed security officers in the examination centres;
5.1.2 Ensure there are adequate vehicles to distribute examination materials and personnel;
5.1.3 Reduce the cost of running the examination;
5.1.4 Supervisors should ensure they DO NOT PACK EXAMINATIONS FOR DIFFERENT EXAMINATION CENTRES (hosted and hosting centres) TOGETHER! Examinations for hosted centres MUST be packed separately from the hosting centre.
5.2 Conduct of Assessment of Orals and practicals
5.2 1 Centre Managers must verify their packets before they leave the containers and tht it is for the date indicated on the packet containing the examination.
5.2.2 The Centre Managers should ensure that scores for KCSE orals and aurals assessment are uploaded onto the KNEC portal before assessor leave the centre.
5.2.3 One supervisor identified, nominated and deployed in the examination centre offering these papers must be at the examination centre when the oral and pratical examination papers are being conducted. The supervisor must liaise with the centre manager to be guided on when the oral and practical examination papers will be taking place at the examination centre. The roles of the supervisor during assessment will include:
5.2.4 Receiving the examination materials from the centre manager in one of the assessment rooms;
5.2.5 Handing over the examination materials to the assessors and signing the accountability documents;
5.2.6 Supervising the conduct of the assessment of the oral and practical papers. The supervisor will not be allowed in the assessment room during the assessment exercise to avoid distracting the assessor and the candidate;
5.2.7 Confirming candidates awaiting assessment in a room where they cannot hear or see what is being assessed;
5.2.8 Ensuring that the candidates who complete the assessment leave the examination area and not to interact with the candidates who are yet to be assessed;
5.2.9 Collecting well sealed envelope containing scores of the candidates and handing over the envelope to the centre manager for returning to the sub-county container.
5.2.10 Two (2) security officers shall be deployed at each assessment centre and their roles will be:
5.2.10.1 Escorting the centre manager carrying examination materials from the container to the examination centre, remain in the centre throughout the assessment period and when returning candidate’s scores to the container;
5.2.10.2 Assisting the supervisor in confining candidates who are yet to be assessed in a room where they cannot hear or see what is being assessed;
5.2.10.3 Assisting the supervisor in ensuring that the candidates who have completed assessment leave the examination area and do not interact with the candidates who are yet to be assessed;
5.2.10.4 Maintaining the security at the examination centre and ensuring that unauthorized persons are not at the examination centre during the assessment.
5.2.10.5 Invigilators are NOT allowed at the examination centre during assessment of (KCSE) Oral and Practical Examination Papers.
5.3 Conduct of Examinations
5.3.1 The centre managers will collect examination question papers from the distribution point every day.
5.3.2 The containers will be opened as follows:
1. KCPE/KPSEA- at 6:00 am
2. KCSE – 7:00 am
5.3.3 To enable timely delivery of question papers to examination centres, the SCDEs are requested to issue packets to Centre Managers whose schools are far away from the containers.
5.3.4 They should leave the distribution centre while accompanied by the two security officers under the official assigned vehicles and straight to the examination centre and hand them examination question papers to the supervisors.
5.3.5 The supervisor must verify and record the papers handed over by the Centre Manager each day to ensure that they are the correct papers for the day as per the examination timetable.
5.3.6 Once at the centre, the gates must remain open until when they are returned to the container.
5.3.7 The question paper packets should be opened five (5) minutes before the start of the examination. This means that for KCPE/KPSEA the packets should be opened at 8:25 am while KCSE question packets at 7:55 am.
5.3.8 In examination centres with more than one examination room, the question papers should be opened and counted in one of the examination room. This should be witnessed by the Centre Manager, supervisor, invigilators and one security officer besides the candidates in that class.
5.3.9 The supervisor should issue exact number of question papers to each invigilator corresponding to the number of candidates in their rooms.
5.3.10 Spare question papers and those for absentees’ candidates must be returned and sealed in the question paper packets. For KCPE and KPSEA, ONLY the OMR answer sheets for the absent candidate should be placed on the desks, shaded and collected with and sealed with those for the rest of the candidates.
5.3.11 Desks for candidates who passed on should be withdrawn from the examination centres.
5.3.12 In case a candidate reports after that, the envelope should be opened and a question paper issued to him/her and the packet resealed. The Centre manager should provide a stapler for this purpose at all times.
5.3.13 For each day, one armed security officer will be designated to guard the examination materials throughout the examination day, while the second armed security officer will be designated to do surveillance of the examination Centre. This year, the security officers shall be held accountable by signing forms indicating their roles in each examination session.
5.3.14 The security officer guarding the examination materials will be expected to have full view of the examination materials (question paper packets containing papers yet to be sat and answer script return envelopes for papers already done). The officer will ensure that the Centre Manager hands over the question paper packets to the Supervisor in one of the examination rooms designated for storage of live examination materials without detouring. When examinations are in progress, the officer will be positioned at the door of the examination room with live examination materialism facing the table in front of the examination room on which the materials are placed.
5.3.15 Armed security officers should not be deployed in the same examination centre more than twoce.
5.3.16 No unauthorized persons will not be allowed in the examination centres during the timeline indicated below:
1. KCPE AND KPSEA from 7am to 2pm.
2. KCSE from 7am to 3pm.
5.3.17 The following are the authorized persons expected in the examination centre:
1. Centre manager;
2. Deputy Principal/Head teacher;- where an examination centre has more than one deputy the centre manager shall designate one deputy to assist him/her;
3. Supervisor(s);
4. Invigilator(s);
5. Gatekeeper
6. Laboratory technician and science teacher only during practical’s;
7. Authorized support staff to prepare meals for candidates.
5.3.18 No one should curtail the police officers from witnessing or carrying out their assigned roles during examinations.
5.3.19 The Deputy Principal should in school and ensure candidates’ discipline is maintained throughout the examination period, where a centre has more than one Deputy, only one will be designated during the conduct of the examinations.
5.3.20 Hosted candidates must ne accompanied by their centre managers.
5.3.21 During the optional papers, where candidates are less than ten (10) n each examination, the candidates should be grouped in one or more examination room(s). They will have to move with their desks and go back to their rooms during the compulsory papers. Some invigilators will stay away during days of the optional papers and only required number should invigilate. The supervisor should rotate them accordingly.
5.3.22 For KCPE and KPSEA, the absent candidate’s answer sheet should be placed on the desk of the candidate, after the examination paper, the supervisor should shade AB and enclose together with other candidates’ answer sheets.
5.3.23 No one will be allowed to have mobile phones in the examination center except the Centre Manager and the armed security officers who will use the phones for emergency reasons only.
5.3.24 Teaching in the examination centre is prohibited from 6:00 amwhen the examination distribution containers are opened to the end of the examination day.
5.3.25 KPSEA summative assessment shall be in the multiple-choice format and will be done in five papers. The sample papers can be accessed on the KNEC CBA portal. This should be brought to the attention of the Grade 6 candidates before sitting the examination.
5.3.26 KILEA summative assessment will structured and will comprise of 4 papers. The sample papers for KILEA summative assessment are also on the KNEC CBA portal.
5.3.27 KNEC shall distribute infographics on the “Dos” and “DON’Ts” of examinations. Centre managers are required to display the printed infographics in strategic locations within the examination centre before the day of examinations. For instance, the information on matters such as wristwatches, clipboards, use of phones how to shade OMR sheets, honesty in examination, penalties for malpractice.
5.3.28 Not all candidates with eye issues qualify as low vision candidates thus automatically provided with large print questions papers.
5.3.29 All candidates taking papers on a particular examination day are expected in the examination centre at the start of the examination day. Some candidates have been observed not to report in the morning, especially on the day of elective subjects.
5.3.30 Candidates should be informed that random numbers are contained in the attendance register printout (nominal roll) for their reference. No candidate is allowed to use their real index numbers. Repeaters should be very keen when using their random index numbers so as not to use the former ones.
5.3.31 No candidate should be allowed to sit for under protests subject before payment of under protest fee and the same communicated to KNEC urgently.
5.3.32 Clipboards and mathematical tables that have any writings are discouraged from being used in the examination rooms. The Council recommends transparent mathematical sets or use of clear bags for mathematical set instruments.
5.3.33 KPSEA and KCPE candidates are discouraged from circling their choice of responses and writing along the side a large letter representing the selected option on the question paper. The enlarged and/or circled writing can easily be seen by other candidates, hence a possible source of collusion.
5.3.34 Some candidates use light shade of pencils that cannot be read by the OMR scanner, resulting in gaps. Candidates should be advised to use quality pencils to shade their choices.
5.3.35 Some candidates circle their responses on the question paper before transferring the same to the answer sheet. This practice may result in erroneous transfer of candidates’ responses, incomplete transfer of responses and sifts during transfer of responses.
5.3.36 In most instances, this habit is encouraged by teachers who after the exam want to score the candidates based on the responses on the question paper.
5.3.37 After the examinations of the day, the supervisor will hand over the answer scripts to the centre manager who will return them to the distribution point.
5.3.38 All accountability documents during the administration of the examinations should be duly filled from the containers to the examination rooms and back to the container.
5.3.39 Circular the Centre Manager should not advise the supervisor to adjust index numbers of candidates
5.3.40 The Centre Manager should ensure that there are sufficient Braille machines that are in good working conditions for SNE candidates. The Examination centres should ensure that the require Braille paper materials are received from KNEC.
5.3.41 the supervisor and Centre manager will be required to fill the Supervisor Report and Head Teacher reports online through the CP2 system. This is an innovation and should be emphasized.
5.3.42 there must be no teaching or revision taking place in the centre from 6:00 am.
5.4 Handling of Special Need Cases
5.4.1 No special need cases should be brought to Council notice when examination are ongoing except for special cases that occur during the examinations whose authority must be sought from Chief Executive Officer, KNEC.
5.4.2 Candidates sitting examination in other venues (hospitals, remand etc.), should not be indicated absent on the attendance register; instead the supervisor should capture in the Supervisor Report and Script Control Form where the candidate sat the examination. Scripts on hardship/special cases should be packed in the hardship return envelopes provided by KNEC. The SCDEs should also keep a record of such cases, and ensure the same scripts are returned to KNEC together with others.
6.0 ASSESSMENT OF LEARNERS FOLLOWING THE STAGE BASED PATHWAY
6.1 Basic Education Curriculum pathway provides for two pathways: Age-based and Stage-based. Age-Based Pathway – is meant for learners without disabilities and those with mild disabilities while Stage-Based Pathway is for learners with severe disabilities that limit their intellectual abilities to benefit from the age-based curriculum (Regular) the disabilities rages from mental to multiple disabilities. Curriculum for these learners in structured in four levels namely, Foundational, Intermeditation, Prevocational and Vocational.
6.2 In the stage-based pathway, progression of learners from one level to the next is determined by skills acquisition and NOT by their age. Learners taking this pathway will sit their assessment when they are ready as determined by their teachers.
6.3 Learners in Grade 6 will be sitting for Kenya Primary School Educational Assessment (KPSEA) while learners at the intermediate Level will take Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA). This assessment will be administered to learners who are ready to transit to pre-vocational level. Since KILEA is a summative assessment, learners enrolled should have their SBA scores uploaded to the KNEC portal.
6.4 Learners at the Intermediate level will be assessed using four (4) performance based assessment tools which include the following:
6.4.1 Communication, Social and Literacy skills;
6.4.2 Daly Living Skills and Religious Education;
6.4.3 Sensory motor integration and Creative Activities;
6.4.4 Numeracy, Environmental and Psychomotor Activities.
6.5 Each learner will be required to attempt all the performance assessment tasks.
6.6 KILEA will be administered by the intermediate level teachers in their respective schools. Supervisors will not be appointed for this assessment. However, one assessor/invigilator should be appointed for every ten (10) learners. The invigilators must be the teachers who have been teaching the learners. It will be the responsibility of the assessor(s) to ensure adequate preparation of learners taking KILEA and the materials required for the assessment.
6.7 At the end of the assessment, schools should upload learner’s performance outcomes into the same CBA portal. In addition, school should submit hard copies of the school’s summary assessment score sheet for each paper through the respective Sub-County Directors of Education (SCDE). Schools will maintain copies of the school summary assessment score sheets and other evidence of assessment for future reference.
6.8 Missing School Based Assessment (SBA) Scores – It has been established that almost 10% of the learners that will sit for KPSEA have not SBA scores for Grade 4 (year 2020) and grade 5 (year 2021). The schools/learners with the said gaps have since been shared with SCDEs and TSC-SDs through the TSC County Directors. Very few schools responded by the expected date on the 30th October, 2022. The SCDEs are reminded to liaise with the heads of institutions to collect the hard copies showing summary of scores of learners with gaps, and physically deliver them at New Mitihani House in South C. In case the affected learners did not sit for the assessments, let the HOIs also indicate so in written and submit to the SCDEs.
6.9 Current grade six learners whose scores for grade 4 and 5 school based assessment scores are missing (not uploaded online), the SCDEs are requested to view the report online, print and hand over to affected schools. The scores to be submitted to KNEC in hard copies latest by 22nd November 2022.
6.10 For the lower grades (Grade 4 and Grade 5), Head of Institutions, are urgently reminded to upload the previous scores in case gaps still exist. This is because going forward from academic year 2023, no scores from a previous academic year will be uploaded in the CBA portal. All the scores attained from the assessment within a particular academic year, must be uploaded within that year as per the timelines issued by the council. Learners who may miss out on the assessment because of one reason or another like sickness, should be allowed to sit for the assessment within that academic year not beyond, as is being witnessed in some instances.
6.11 CBA Guidelines – The Council has noted with concern that Head of Institutions are having a challenge navigating the CBA portal and the entire CBA process yet the guidelines are available. The CBA Guidelines have been uploaded in the school CBA portal for ease of access by schools. The Head of Institutions are reminded to download and print the guidelines for their use. A hard copy of the guidelines will also be availed to the SCDEs to assets schools that may not be able to download s that they photocopy. The CBA guidelines are found under the menu Instructions and guidelines, which also contain circulars issued by the Council on the CBA. Head of Institutions are reminded to login in the CBA portal as often as possible to access this crucial information. The General guidelines on the administration of CBA assessments will be uploaded in the schools portals under grade 6, 5, 4 and 3. Head teachers to download the documents urgently. Other administration documents will be uploaded on the KNEC website.
6.12 The Council has noted with concern a high number of learners without assessment numbers across all grades/levels including grade 6. This points to negligence on the part of some Heads of Institutions. Some parents are also culpable since they are taking their children to unrecognized assessment centres which fail to register them, and they only realize at the last minute. SCDEs are kindly requested to crack down on these centres and communicate to the Council immediately.
6.13 The Council has been able to register all Grade 6 learners, and enabled Heads of Institutions to register learners in their schools in grade 4 and 5, that were not registered in grade 3. The Heads of Institutions are urged to complete the registration process as soon as possible. From the academic year 2023, registration of learners in the CBA portal will only be done in Grade 3 and foundation/intermediate levels as per the CBA guidelines. Heads of Institutions are also reminded to print registration slips for all their learners upon registration so that learners are made aware of their assessment numbers.
6.14 Transfer of learners – The Council has established that due to process is not followed during transfer of learners from one assessment centre to another across all grades/levels. Some learners are being physically transferred without replicating the same in the CBA portal. This has resulted in a lot of duplications, where some schools opt to register learners afresh. This is also contributing on high number of SBA gaps because the learner is not formally transferred with his/her scores. HOIs are reminded to strict adhere to guidelines on transfer, and where there is a conflict, let the SCDE mediate. In addition, no transfer of learners will be allowed in grade 6, except with express authority from the council.
7.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE DURING ADMINISTRATION OF NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS
7.1 KNEC, through a multi-agency approach, shall monitor the conduct of examinations to ensure adherence to the laid down regulations and to prevent examination malpractice.
7.2 To this end, KNEC will be sending officers to the field while examinations are ongoing. KNEC will brief all the officers involved on the expectations of KNEC prior to the exercise and provide guidelines which officers shall be expected to adhere to. Officers will also be issued with identified badges.
7.3 Centre managers will be expected to allow access for Monitoring by ensuring that examination centres can be accessed without barrier. All field officers and centre managers should be aware that KNEC monitoring officers can go to the examination centre and rooms without first reporting to their offices.
7.4 KNEC will also undertake quality assurance checks to ensure that all bonafide candidate’s scores are accounted for and that each candidate is awarded their deserved scores. KNEC is committed to ensuring fairness and objectivity so that no candidate gains undue advantage over others.
7.5 Issues of optical health need to be brought to the fore as there are some learners suffering in schools and their sight issues could be addressed before the examination period.
7.6 There is need for all examination centres to provide a conducive examination environment. The SCDEs offices, during inspection, need to consider suitability of learning institutions as they are registered to ensure provision of conducive learning and examination environment.
7.7 Centre Managers are requested to use admission register to assign index numbers to candidates starting from 001 instead of using class performance.
7.8 KPSEA and KCPE candidate not to be marking their responses BOLDY on the question papers with an intention of assisting other candidates. For instance
7.9 Centre Managers need to sensitize the candidates about the repercussions of having the supplementary certificate after cheating.
7.10 Advise that the candidates do not get into the examination room with calculator covers.
7.11 Practical papers sessions should not exceed two for each practical paper. To realize this, the Centre Managers should organize in good time.
7.12 Confinement of candidates during Practical papers should be done as stipulated for candidates who are yet to sit for/have sat for the practical papers to avoid collusion.
7.13 All the candidates taking the practical paper on a particular examination day should be in the examination centre before the start of the first session.
7.14 Neither the Science teacher nor the Laboratory Assistants should communicate information on the practical responses or interact with the candidates in the absence of the invigilator during Practical.
7.15 Candidates should raise their issues (missing or faulty apparatus or insufficient reagents) with the invigilators who will in turn alert the lab technician for action.
Note: Only the Chemistry teacher is allowed to collect data for each question for onward transmission to KNEC together with candidates’ answer scripts/
7.16 Laxity in supervision and invigilation: The briefing should emphasize the roles of supervisors and invigilators to stamp out laxity and claims of ignorance.
7.17 Seating Plans for each room in each session should be drawn by the invigilator(s) manning the room. The invigilator(s) should append his/her name(s) and TSC number(s) to the plan, and the same should be packed with the scripts for each session in the Return Envelopes. A Return Envelope should therefore contain:
7.17.1 The Return Envelope Label
7.17.2 The Script Control Form
7.17.3 The seating plans for all the rooms used in the session.
7.17.4 The candidates’ scripts.
7.18 Candidates at all levels (KPSEA, KILEA, KCPE, KCSE, TVET, TE) should not be allowed to have wrist watches in the examination room.
7.19 The Centre Manager should access his/her mobile phone only while in his/her office. The Security Person may have his/her phone on his person but may not enter the examination room with it. This is consistent with the User Guide for the Manager of Examinations Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) 1st Edition 2017. All other contracted professionals and staff are allowed to be in the centre should not have access to their phones when an examination paper is in progress. School Examination candidates (KPSEA, KILEA, KCPE, KCSE) should not have mobile phones in the Examination Centre.
7.20 Cases of candidates who gained undue advantage through examination malpractices will be investigated and handled in accordance with the Law and Regulations. KNEC therefore requests all stakeholders for their support in averting examination malpractices in the 2021 National Examinations.
8.0 HANDLING OF CANDIDATES ANSWER SCRIPTS
8.1 Invigilators should ensure that candidates write names and random numbers on the answer scripts before collecting them for packing.
8.2 The answer sheets or scripts for every paper should be packed in the correct return envelope. Answer scripts should not be over-stuffed in the return envelopes but distributed evenly depending on the return envelope covers that are provided for each paper.
8.3 Answer sheets should be arranged per subject per school and in ascending order. No mixing up of subjects. At the container SCDEs are requested to ensure that the EMDs and clerks arrange the packets containing scripts as per the receiving print out provided by KNEC in readiness for dispatch to the KNEC officers. This will save time during receiving of the scripts in by KNEC officers.
8.4 Scripts under special cover e.g. of candidates who do not take their examination at their centre should be handed to the KNEC officer at the point of receiving and the returning officer should ensure the case is recorded. Names and assessment/index numbers of such candidates to be clearly written in the scripts/answer sheets.
8.5 The Sub County Director of Education is required to submit the following examination materials to KNEC at the end of the examination period or as per the instructions given:
8.5.1 Completed attendance registers for Candidates, Supervisors, Invigilators and other accountable tracking documents;
8.5.2 Completed attendance registers for Candidates, Supervisors, Invigilators and other accountable tracking documents;
8.5.3 Completed and accurately filled in reports and certificates of supervision.
8.5.4 Reports on Irregularities together with any seized material (where applicable);
8.5.5 Declaration forms consisting of claims for supervisors, invigilators drivers, and security and education officers duly certified by the Sub-County Education Officer;
8.5.6 All empty question paper packets and bags;
8.5.7 Copies of any question papers with misprints or missing pages (where applicable);
8.5.8 Any extra question papers;
8.5.9 Summary of ‘Under Protest’ entries and a letter form the Centre manager of the Institution explaining the cases.
8.5.10 Project materials.
8.6 The KPSEA and KCPE administration documents should be enclosed in their separate envelopes and no mixing.
8.7 Examination packets should be packed per paper in a green bag. This will assist in receiving, scanning and packing of scripts.
8.8 The dispatch of examination papers and return of answer scripts program will be prepared and circulated to Sub-County Directors of Education. The schedule must be adhered to unless there is prior arrangement.
8.9 SCDEs should stick to the return of candidates’ answer scripts programme provided by KNEC
9.0 PROCESSING OF CANDIDATES’ RESULTS
9.1 This is a process undertaken by the Council after examinations have been administered to candidates. It includes marking, grading and release of examination results to the candidates through their institutions/SCDE.
9.2 All institutions are encouraged to submit accurate data during the administration of examinations and verify the examination results immediately after release to ensure accuracy.
10.0 CONCLUSION
10.1 In conclusion, I would wish to inform you that, KNEC is not in charge of categorization and approval of Junior Secondary Schools. SCDEs to forward such request to the Ministry of Education Headquarters (MoE).
10.2 The Council takes this opportunity to thank you for attending this important meeting. It is important to cascade the information you have acquired today to those under you, in order to ensure that those who will be involved in this exercise are well informed and equipped to manage the 2022 KPSEA, KCPE and KCSE examinations in the most efficient way without experiencing cases of dishonesty.