The government has announced three key measures that it has employed to ensure the security of the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, said security measures have been enhanced to curb any exam irregularities.
The exam materials have been safeguarded from any unauthorized access, with the government monitoring the examination process and distribution.
“Security measures for National exams have been significantly enhanced to curb irregularities. We have implemented tight security protocols to safeguard the examination materials from any unauthorized access, while also monitoring the examination process,” the Ministry of Interior announced.
Below are the key measures that the government has employed to secure the exams.
Protection of exam containers
The Ministry of Interior says all the exam containers are located at deputy county commissioner offices across the country, to minimize long-distance travel.
Security teams and education officials open and close the containers simultaneously to ensure the integrity of the exams.
Logistics
Ground, water and aerial resources have been availed to transport exam materials to respective destinations across the country under the supervision of security officers.
Field-level monitoring
The examination process is closely monitored by security and intelligence committees which oversee the administration of exams and prevent any forms of malpractice.
Security measures for National exams have been significantly enhanced to curb irregularities.
We have implemented tight security protocols to safeguard the examination materials from any unauthorized access, while also monitoring the examination process.@ngaosKE @NPSOfficial_KE… pic.twitter.com/2AEV49bhNc— Ministry of Interior | Kenya (@InteriorKE) October 29, 2024
Over 1.3 million Grade 6 pupils across Kenya sitting for their Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) exams that kicked off on Monday, October 28, 2024.
This is the third cohort of learners under the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC), which was introduced to replace the traditional 8-4-4 system.
The KPSEA exams are set to end tomorrow, Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
They are designed to assess learners’ competencies in various subjects, aligning with CBC’s emphasis on practical skills, creativity, and critical thinking.
Insecurity
Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) started administering KCSE exams last week, and KPSEA this week, amid security concerns in some areas.
Some of the insecurity-prone areas include the North Rift, the northern frontier and parts of the coast where learning activities have frequently been paralysed due to cattle rustling, banditry, terrorism and inter-clan conflicts.
It is feared that the current insecurity in the counties of Baringo, Tana River, Turkana, Laikipia, Isiolo, Mandera, Garissa, Elgeyo Marakwet, Lamu, and West Pokot will cause some candidates to miss their exams.
