KCSE 2017 Results Analysis

Schools, teachers, and students worked very hard to do better and improve on their last year’s performance. What they are asking for is fair treatment (marking and grading) to their exam papers and projects. K.N.E.C. is part of a global league of exam processors intended to standardize marking and moderate results.

It appears there was an unusual handling of the process. Even before the release and announcement of the results, the examiners who are teachers were complaining. Exams leaked again, this time from K.N.E.C. headquarters (for example Biology). Much more time should have been taken to identify the loopholes and deal a deathblow to them. But K.N.E.C. and the Ministry were in a hurry to keep to the timetables and take advantage at the expense of the credibility of a national exam. C.S. Matiang’i should not fall to the tricks of cartels.

Exam moderation is a must in educational measurement and evaluation so that the purpose is achieved. The normal curve failed when the graph/mode heavily shifted from the centre towards the right (failures). There is no school with a “normal” curve although the bright students remain at the top. The international exam standards have been compromised. But the cartels must be checked. I support stricter governance of exams.

Education C.S. Matiang’i has already done alot and especially about exam cheating and irregularities. The worst thing would be to stop there. I can tell you without fear of contradiction, we didn’t have fair exams even with moderation. A leaked exam is void.

J.P. Makenzi

Director, Mackenzie Education Centre.