New Rules Governing Marking of National Examinations

By Soko Directory Team / Published November 3, 2016 | 8:21 am

Today marks the last day for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams across the country that kicked off on Tuesday 1st October.

As these exams end today, a lot of things seemed to have changed since the current Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Dr.Fred Matiang’I took over the ministry from Jacob Kaimenyi. What follows now for KCPE is the marking of exam papers and a number of rules and regulations have been outlined to govern the process in efforts to protect the credibility of the results.

Among the newly implemented rules that concern the conduct of examiners who will be involved is that, they will not be allowed to be in possession of any electronic gadgets like mobile phones, Laptops or tablets whenever they are within the examination marking centers. This is to say that they will have to leave their phones outside the areas where marking will be taking place. Just as Students are expected to enter the exam rooms without any other material apart from the ones needed for exams, examiners will have to be frisked before marking exams.

Another guiding rule is that of unauthorized people being restricted from accessing the examination marking centers. The only people to be around such premises will only be those who will be involved in marking of examinations. In the past, there have been cases where outsiders are allowed in the centers and they temper with the marking process in that some bribe the examiners for additional marks on specific students or schools. Unauthorized persons will also not be allowed around the examiners’ hostels as this will be a no-go-zone.

In the past, examination marking venues were being distributed across the country, but with the new governing rules, there will be few specific venues in Nairobi, with some others in the neighboring regions like Machakos and Murang’a. Examiners will also not be allowed to carry away the question papers, marking schemes or any related material used in exam marking.

Under the regulations, all the examiners will be required not to disclose their identity as markers or divulge any information acquired in the course of their work. The marking sessions will start at 7am and end at 7pm daily during the entire marking period. The centers will also be closed to members of the media and examiners have been warned not to discuss marking and other welfare issues with the Press or other unauthorized persons. The examiners will also not post pictures or share any information through the social media platforms during and after the marking exercise. “

Any examiner found contravening any of the above regulation will be dismissed instantly and a report made to his/her employer for disciplinary action. Where there is need to work beyond these hours, the chief examiner should liaise with KNEC for extension.

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