The government has unveiled a 24-hour National Command Centre to tackle cases of malpractice in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam
Speaking on Tuesday, Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo said the multi-agency centre is already up and running, operating in real time to trace and arrest individuals peddling counterfeit exam papers on social media platforms.
The Command Centre which is based at the Ministry of Interior and National Administration headquarters brings together experts from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of ICT, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), and national security agencies.
The team will monitor social media platforms round the clock, swiftly responding to any suspicious activity or misinformation.
“Our officers are constantly tracking various online platforms to neutralise individuals attempting to defraud parents, teachers, or candidates with fake exam leaks.” He stated
The PS disclosed that authorities have already intercepted several cases involving fraudsters
Dr. Omollo assured Kenyans that the government has put in place robust mechanisms to safeguard the credibility of ongoing and upcoming national exams.
He said security teams across the country are working closely with KNEC to ensure smooth and fair administration.
He also noted that the Command Centre will play a key role in overseeing the safe delivery of exam materials, particularly in regions facing logistical challenges due to the ongoing short rains.
This year, a total of 996,078 candidates are expected to sit for the KCSE exams, which will run from November 3 to November 21.
Earlier this month, KNEC Chief Executive Officer Dr. David Njengere announced new reforms aimed at tightening security and improving accountability in the management of national examinations.
Among the key changes is the introduction of personalised examination papers for all KCSE and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) candidates.
Just like last year, each paper will bear the candidate’s name and index number, and learners will be required to sign both the paper and its counterfoil.
When the exam is over , the Supervisors are required to collect and submit the signed counterfoils separately for accountability.