16 arrested in elaborate exam cheating scheme

Detectives Wednesday arrested eight people suspected of involvement in cheating in the ongoing KCPE at Hezta Academy in Ol Kalou Constituency, Nyandarua County. They confiscated rubbers, pieces of tissue paper and mobile phones.

The arrests came after over eight hours of investigations by senior education officials and the detectives in the presence of the County Director of Education Nelson Sifuna, County Commissioner Boaz Cherutich, and the County Police Commander Gideon Ngumi among others.

Among those arrested were the proprietor, Ms Tabitha Wambui, the supervisor, invigilators, and the centre manager, Mr Musa Mirobi. Four other suspects have been detained to assist with investigations.

SUSPICIOUS STAFF MOVEMENT

Investigations revealed that one of the teachers took photographs of the examination papers using a school mobile phone and sent the questions to teachers in the proprietor’s house within the school compound.

The teachers would then write the answers on pieces of tissue paper and rubbers and have them taken to the candidates to copy.

“Our officers got suspicious about the elaborate, systematic movement during the examination. They investigated the matter and discovered the racket. We have impounded the cheating materials and arrested the suspects to serve as a lesson to others,” said Mr Cherutich.

They will be arraigned Thursday.

KAKAMEGA

At the same time, another eight examination officials from Matungu in Kakamega County are being held for interrogation by the DCI in Kakamega over irregularities on the second day of the national tests.

The eight include Ngairwe Primary School headteacher Washington Magero, a supervisor and six invigilators.

The officials were Tuesday found in possession of mobile phones in the examination centre.

They were also accused of allowing three teachers who are on holiday into the school on October 29.

The three teachers Edwin Keya, Ferdinand Balungu and Scolastica Osodo were arrested after they were busted while acting as cooks in the school.

The matter was reported by a police officer assigned to guard the examination centre after he noticed suspicious characters with the school premises.

Kakamega County Commissioner Pauline Ndola said the centre manager, supervisor, all invigilators and other unauthorised people who were found in the school compound were being interrogated.

“Investigating officers are still handling the case but we have replaced the centre manager, supervisor and all the invigilators. I visited the school this morning and everything is in control. We took the first step to ensure we secure the exams which I can confirm are going on as usual,” said Ms Ndola on Wednesday.

REDUCED PREGNANCIES

Meanwhile, on the day Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said he was impressed with the low number of pregnant candidates, a girl in Kakamega East Sub-county was rushed to hospital, gave birth and was discharged to continue with the examinations.

Another in Migori was rushed to hospital after her water broke in the exam room. She was expected to finish her exams at the hospital. And in Embu, another candidate delivered and is doing her exams at the Embu County Referral Hospital.

Speaking in Makueni County Wednesday, Prof Magoha attributed the reduced pregnancies to good parenting.

"I am actually shocked that only one case has been reported in Taita-Taveta County. None has been reported in Makueni. We are talking about 20 cases nationwide. This is a huge reduction from last year,” he said.

"It is important to give credit to our parents so that the continue to parent their children. Taking care of children does not mean giving them money. The best thing you can give your child is your time, because your time is part of your life,” Prof Magoha said.

He announced that more police helicopters had been added to fly the examination papers where roads have been cut off by the heavy rains in most parts of the country.

The CS said the flooding in Tana River, Mandera, Garisa, Wajir, Kajiado, Turkana and Isiolo counties has rendered roads impassable, forcing them to take emergency measures to deal with the situation.

"Even though we have enough helicopters, this year we have a serious flood problem, but the government is responding to the situations as they arise," he said.

Prof Magoha assured that the government was prepared to deal with any challenges that could threaten the smooth running of the examination across the country.

"We are taking this exercise seriously. We have taken swift action even on officers who come to collect examination papers while drunk," Prof Magoha said.

The CS also revealed that, from next year, the government will reduce the number of security officers deployed to man the national examinations,

"This might likely be the last year where we will have such heavy security.There might be a need for less security next year,” said the CS at Mwanyambo Primary School in Voi, Taita-Taveta County, where he inspected the ongoing examination.

In Wajir County, an attack on the nearby Dadajabula Police Station by armed militia affected the examination at Dadajabula Primary School. By 10am, candidates were yet to get the examination papers.

Wajir County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara said officials were waiting for the Kenya Defence Forces to clear the road where the container where the exam materials were stored, about 50 kilometres away.

SNAKE BITE

“The exam papers were later ferried to the centre and the candidates should not be worried. We will make sure they do the remaining tests without any interruption,” said Mr Kibaara.

In Kerugoya, Kirinyaga County, a supervisor and a school manager were arrested for allegedly turning away a candidate.

In Embu, a could not sit the examination after she turned violent. Education officers at the Mwenendiga examination centre said the girl, who has been mentally ill, became uncontrollable.

Another was admitted after being bitten by a snake

In Tharaka-Nithi, at least 11 candidates who dropped our of school early in the year after their parents joined Kabonokia religious sect did not show up for the examination in Tharaka North Sub-county.

Twenty-one inmates wrote their exams at the GK Kingongo in Nyeri County, as did three candidates at Ruringu Children’s Remand Centre after they were arrested for not going to school.

Meanwhile, a candidate at Getwebe Primary Achool in Nyamira County got an electric shock during the lunch break and died while receiving treatment at a local dispensary.

In Siaya, two candidates are sitting the exams in hospital. One allegedly took poison while the other is suffering from abdominal pain.

In Nakuru County, Mr Benson Ndung’u, the head teach at Kagoto Primary School in Kiamaina, Bahati Sub-county, Nakuru County, said activities at a nearby quarry have been a constant nuisance to the school. He said the movement of trucks and excavation by heavy machinery were particularly bad for the students sitting their exams, adding that his efforts to have the authorities intervene have been fruitless.

Reporting by Waikwa Maina, Lucy Mkanyika, Winnie Atieno, Joseph Openda, Manase Otsialo, George Munene, Alex Njeru, Regina Kinogu, Fadhili Fredrick, Ian Byron, Dickens Wasonga Shaban Makokha and Vitalis Kimutai