Why 2019 KCSE results for 1,309 candidates were cancelled

A total of 1,309 candidates who sat the 2019 KCSE examination will not receive their results due to involvement in various forms of cheating.

Announcing the 2019 KCSE results on Wednesday, Education CS Prof. George Magoha said the exam irregularities recorded in this year’s exam included being found with mobile phones, carrying unauthorised materials to examination rooms, and collusion.

Of the 1,309 candidates whose results were cancelled, 1,158 are said to have engaged in collusion in a bid to cheat in the exam, 101 were found with unauthorised materials in the exam room while 47 were found with mobile phones.

Two candidates will miss their results for impersonation while one other is said to have caused disturbance, hence cancellation of their results.

According to CS Magoha, during the exam period close to 100 mobile phones were collected from various examination centres.

“In Nairobi’s Eastleigh, we collected 35 mobile phones from a single centre. There were some cases of individuals who were attempting early exposure of examination papers, among other ills. Unfortunately for them, they were all apprehended,” said Magoha.

He added: “In Kisii, we apprehended more than 10 impersonators who had connived with unscrupulous people to produce fake photo albums to give the impression they were genuinely KNEC registered candidates.”

At the same time, CS Magoha disclosed that the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has withheld results for 658 candidates “for routine checks on small details, including accuracy of their names and registration details.”

The withheld results are expected to be released after completion of a verification process.

The Education CS, however, noted that the number of exam results cancelled this year due to irregularities was much lower than the 4,519 cancelled in the 2018.

“I wish to state that we have now stamped out the overt cases of cheating that were rampant in our education ecosystem. I once again repeat that that the combined effort of the multiagency government monitoring team has turned in the greater success,” said Magoha.