2.1 Million KCPE and KCSE candidates are expected to start their exams in two weeks’ time. It has been established that the details of how the tests will be conducted will be known today during a high level meeting chaired by Education CS George Magoh, Fred Matiangi. Joe Mucheru of the Interior and ICT will also attend the meeting which will bring together regional security officials. Only two weeks before the tests, the meeting will discuss administration and how to secure testing material.
The meeting comes days after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) asked the regional directors to expedite the enrollment of center managers, supervisors and invigilators to participate in the upcoming examination.
“This is to request you, through the county directors, to identify and nominate center managers, supervisors and supervisors to be involved in the administration of the examination,” read the January 12 TSC circular.
In the memorandum, TSC has directed that after the identification and enrollment of examination officers, they should be posted in the administration system till March 4.
According to the revised education calendar, 2021 KCPE examinations are to be held from March 7 to March 10.
At the same time, the KCSE examinations will be held from March 11 to April 11.
A total of 2,056,719 were registered for the exams that will begin in two weeks’ time, data from the Kenya National Council of Examinations (KNEC) shows, showing that 1,225,693 will sit for KCPE and 831,026 for KCSE.
KNEC said that the number of candidates appearing in the KCPE exam has increased by 34,085 as compared to the previous years.
As per the KNEC data, an additional 78,424 candidates have been registered to appear for the KCSE exam.
Top officials from the Ministry of Security and Education will attend today’s meeting at the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi’s Lower Kabete.
Hopefully Prof. Magoha and Dr. Matiangi will provide a national examination roadmap. The officials will also outline the measures to be employed in the management of examinations, leading to the issuance of keys to the container padlocks.
The ministry’s communication reveals that the officials will start the national examination period of 2021 and also release the security padlock.
“The launch includes a briefing of county and deputy county education officers and their counterparts in the Ministry of the Interior and National Government coordinating on other issues relating to the administration of the 2021 KCPE and KCSE and the administration of examinations,” reads the ministry statement.
This year two sets of national examination will be conducted under 8-4-4 system and 2-6-3-3-3. The March exams will be the first of two separate sets of national tests to be administered this year, as the country adopts new education reforms.
Under the 8-4-4 education system, the second group of candidates will appear in the KCPE and KCSE exams in December.
As per the Knec report, a total of 479 containers will be used to store the exam material. Magoha said that the March examinations will be conducted for the challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has disrupted learning and led to the restructuring of the education calendar.
“We want our students to take rest from the fear of exams and stop expressing themselves in acts of atrocity. We are a considerate government and we will be as humane as possible,” Magoha said.
In its 2021-2026 strategic plan, KNEC envisions enhancing physical security systems, upgrading electronic security systems, and developing and implementing security policies, procedures and contingency plans.
The council also plans to acquire smart padlocks for use in exam storage containers and improve printing efficiency through modernization of secure printing equipment and automation of the printing process.
Overall, the council said it plans to review Knec rules and regulations, develop and review the council’s operational policies, and conduct legal and compliance audits.
It also plans to train ICT staff on security, network, database and data center technologies and sensitize staff on general ICT literacy.
