The 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates are going to join Form 1 in July this year. This will happen after the examination has been marked and the selection exercise completed.
The Permanent Secretary for Early Learning and Basic Education Dr. Julius Jwan said last week that the Ministry has not decided on a specific date for admissions of learners set to join secondary schools in July.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education Prof George Magoha said yesterday that the marking of the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations is 35% complete.
While supervising the opening of examination containers at Murang’a County, CS Magoha said that all measures have been put in place to ensure results shall be released in good time.
Electronic and manual marking is being done and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KCPE) has recruited 7,000 examiners across the country.
In the KCPE examination, a total of 1,191,725 candidates from 28,467 schools were registered to sit for the KCPE examination.
Last week Jwan warned school heads not to raise school fees without seeking advice from the Ministry of Education when schools reopen.
Jwan gave the statement while he presided over the supervision of examinations at the Harambee Khalsa Primary School.
Almost 1.2 Million candidates sat for the 2020 KCPE examinations after resuming school in October after the disruption of the school academic calendar as the government sought to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
All learning institutions were closed in March 2020 following the reporting of the first coronavirus case in Kenya.
Up to this moment, Kenya has seen three waves of the virus spread surge. The third wave is seemingly as deadly and infectious as the first one. It might however be tamed if many Kenyans and key workers are vaccinated against COVID-19.
In the last three weeks, double-digit deaths have been reported as well as thousands of infections.
The PS also implored Kenyans to be careful when dealing with Kenyans who sat for their examinations while pregnant.
“Forcing them to name those who impregnated them will contribute to their mental anguish,” said the PS.
Teachers Warned Against Examination Irregularities
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha issued a tough warning to heads of schools who are planning to help Form Four candidates engage in examination irregularities like cheating in the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination.
On Monday mentioned a school in western Kenya where the school principal is attempting to use other people, ‘experts’ to sit for the examinations on behalf of the legitimate candidates.
However, the CS did not state the name of the school located in western Kenya. Besides, the CS said that they are with the knowledge of the plot whereby the school head sent home all teachers from their staff quarters and brought in experts to get papers that are smuggled from examination rooms. The ‘experts’ then fill in the answers and then the papers are taken back.
“The information is worrying and there are officers on the ground who are pursuing the matter. We will get the principal once the information is found to be true. The school is a popular one and usually performs well in the national examinations,” revealed CS Magoha as he supervised the distribution of examination papers at Kenol in Murang’a.
The CS warned that the officers manning the administration of the KCSE examinations saying that the government is committed to delivering examinations that reflect the true capabilities of students and pupils.
“Even in Homa Bay County, we are investigating allegations of irregularities where some examination officers are said to work alongside teachers to try and assist candidates in answering the question papers. The truth of the matter will be known soon,” added the CS.
Magoha further added that no officer manning examinations is allowed to be in possession of a phone at the centers.
In case of an emergency, the CS said that a phone shall be provided for the center manager to make a call.
“As state earlier, no one should have a phone at the examination center. The use of phones can assist in cheating in the ongoing examinations. So all involved officers should adhere to this directive,” said CS Magoha.
The CS reiterated that the transportation of examination papers should be done using only government vehicles or school buses but not personal cars.
“The Government has many vehicles which can be used to deliver examination papers. We do not want to hear of a case where a private car is used to transport the papers. Private schools can use their buses and every Centre Manager must be accompanied by two police officers as security,” said the CS.
Besides, the Cabinet Secretary to Education, Prof George Magoha said that after the President’s directive on the closing of all learning institutions as a way to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, international schools are not spared and they should adhere to the directive.
“International schools which are not administering KCSE should close and let the learners go home. The President’s directive is to all learning institutions including private and public,” said Magoha.