Rules for conducting next month’s national exams in Kenya have been outlined by the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec).
Both exam candidates and examiners will face severe punishments if they are found to be in violation of the stringent rules.
The details emerged in a meeting with all chief examiners of Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), Kenya Certificate for Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education (KCSE).
Knec chief executive officer, Dr David Njengere said this year, has been a unique academic year.
According to Njengere, “Knec normally administers two examinations in a regular school calendar year; but, this year, we will administer a total of five examinations.”
When asked how the national exams might be graded more accurately and quickly, he suggested that all parties involved share their knowledge and ideas. Some of the guidelines are candidates not being allowed any extra time while sitting KCPE and KCSE tests.
It is also forbidden for candidates to walk around unnecessarily while the tests are being administered, unless they have received specific authorization to do so from the exam administrators.
Candidates are also warned against having any contact with outsiders, either within or outside the school grounds, since this is strictly forbidden by the Council.
The guidelines said, “No communication is allowed between candidates or with outsiders in any form whatsoever during the examination.”
According to Knec, students who act inappropriately during an exam will be considered to be cheating.
Any student who causes a disturbance or acts inappropriately while in or around the examination area may be penalized.
And within the examination rooms, candidates are cautioned from exposing their question answers to fellow students.
They are cautioned against leaving their answers or any sheets of paper they have written on where another participant may easily see them.
“You should not give or obtain unfair assistance, or attempt to do so, whether by copying or in any other way, and your work should not show proof of such unfair assistance,” says the rules.
Candidates will be penalized if they bring short notes into the examination room.
The rules state, “You may not have in your possession or near you while in the examination room any book, notes, papers, or any other materials whatsoever, except the proper question papers and any items specifically authorized by the Knec.”
After acquiring access to examination materials, Knec warned against verbally or in writing disclosing their contents to an unauthorized party. An anyone found guilty of this offense faces up to 10 years in jail or a fine of up to Sh2 million, or both.
As the time for national examinations draws near, it will also be illegal for any person to intentionally destroy test materials.
If convicted, you could face up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to Sh5 million.
The Council has issued a strong warning to anybody who could try to impersonate applicants in order to pass the exams for them.
If the accused is a student, for the next three years they will be barred from sitting any exams given by or on behalf of Knec.
The perpetrator might face up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to two million shillings, or both.
If any candidate commits an assessment irregularity in any paper, the results for the whole subject will be cancelled.
In the event that extensive irregularities are found at any assessment center, the results for that center as a whole will be nullified.
The examination authority also made clear that, with the exception of authorized personnel, it will be illegal to have or use a mobile phone in the exam rooms.
No one, including students, teachers, or administrators, shall bring any kind of electronic device into the examination room.
However, Knec stated that primary schools would be permitted to host the examination on their grounds if they have a combined candidacy of thirty (30) or more for both the KCPE and KPSEA examinations.
A valid registration certificate from the County Education Board and suitable examination classrooms that can fit twenty (20) applicants per room with spacing of 1.22 meters on both sides were cited by the Council.
According to the council’s policy, schools with less than thirty (30) students and more than five (5) kilometers from the nearest test center must apply for and get permission from Knec through the Sub County Director of Education.
Teachers Service Commission Chief Executive Officer, Nancy Macharia, instructed the directors to ensure that a ratio of one invigilator for every 20 students, and one supervisor for every 200 candidates is adhered to.
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