Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has warned against any attempts to undermine the integrity of the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.
The exams began nationwide on Monday, and 965,501 candidates were registered in 10,754 centers.
Speaking in Nairobi County at Kibera, where he marked the official start of this year’s exams, CS Ogamba stressed the government's zero-tolerance stance on exam malpractice.
“Anyone caught in exam cheating, whether they are students, teachers, parents, or officials, will face arrest and prosecution,” he stated.
He also noted that authorities are actively monitoring social media to tackle sites that claim to leak exam papers.
To ensure exam security, Ogamba affirmed that all examination materials are safely secured, dismissing rumors about leaks. While some subjects, such as Home Science and Computer Science, were completed last week, the main examination series commenced Monday with English and Chemistry.
New rules have been introduced to prevent cheating and reinforce supervision. Exam supervisors will now rotate among different centers weekly, and exam containers across Kenya will be unsealed each day at 7 a.m. under strict supervision.
Officials are also prohibited from carrying mobile phones into exam rooms, and phones will be collected and secured by the supervisor for the duration of each exam session.
Additionally, special arrangements have been made for candidates in regions affected by security issues or natural disasters.
In Tana River, for instance, students take their exams at secure locations like General Service Unit (GSU) camps, and those impacted by floods receive support to ensure they can participate without disruption.
