The Parliamentary Committee on Education (PCE) is set to implement radical changes in a bid to curb examination cheating.
The radical changes are set to affect the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) with many education stakeholders keen on ending the vice of cheating in examinations.
According to a member of the committee Nabii Nabwera, all eyes are on the examination body with the committee going across the country to collect views from members of the public on the matter.
The Lugari Member of Parliament said that cheating has led to the lowering of confidence in local institutions. Local graduates are as well affected as they appear suspect when going outside the country to seek further studies.
The MP was speaking to members of the public at the Mama Grace Onyango social hall in Kisumu having said that some local private universities have even decided to subject local Form Four graduates to bridging courses before they admit them since they have lost credibility as a result of cheating.
Nabwera also said that they will ensure that the ranking of learning institutions when releasing national examinations is eliminated once and for all.
According to him, the ranking of schools has been causing unorthodox competitions which lead to parents, teachers and even students using unorthodox methods of getting good grades.
He added that the trend had even led to the addition of illegal levies that are dubbed ‘motivation fees for external speakers’.
He pointed to the revelation of more than three-thirds of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates in a school getting a grade A.
The Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) Kisumu County chapter Chairperson Elly Ondiek said that cheating was also a problem in primary schools.
According to Ondiek, KNEC officials are the main culprits when it comes to cheating in national examinations.
He said that more stringent measures need to be implemented including heavy jail terms in order to address the vice.
His secondary school counterpart Goerge Opiyo said that cheating has taken a different course with culprits using technology to aid their ill agendas of examination cheating.
“The government should infiltrate the network and dismantle it once and for all,” he said.
He revealed that examiners who find cases of cheating are vilified and abandoned.
On his part, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Kisumu City branch Chairperson David Obuon said that the pegging promotion of teachers on the performance of students in national examinations also contributes to cheating in examinations.
He added that school headteachers and teachers go to extreme extents to ensure that students get good grades.
He recommended that teachers should be promoted based on academic qualifications.
Peter Orero and Dr Christine Ombaka are also members of the committee.