The marking of the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams was completed on Friday, December 13, 2024. Examiners, including teachers selected to mark the exams, hinted at strong student performance, painting a generally positive picture despite challenges surrounding exam malpractice.
Marking took place at 35 centers, including top institutions such as Alliance High School, State House Girls, Sunshine High School, and Starehe Girls. Other notable centers included Limuru Girls, Moi Forces Academy, Kenya High, and Lenana School.
Exam Malpractice Cases and Arrests
This year’s exams were marred by multiple incidents of cheating, leading to several arrests. Despite stringent measures by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), cases of malpractice persisted:- Siaya County: Thirteen teachers were arrested over alleged involvement in cheating, each released on a KSh 100,000 bond.
- Nandi County: Four teachers and the center manager of Kamimei Secondary School were arrested after a leaked exam paper circulated on social media.
- Homa Bay County: Ten teachers from Pala Masogo Secondary School faced a KSh 2 million bond each for malpractice allegations.
- Kiambu County: Two candidates from Membley High School were caught with mobile phones in the exam hall.
Student Identification and Maisha Cards
The government also took steps to issue new-generation National Identity Cards (Maisha Cards) to candidates aged 18 and above during the exams. This initiative, spearheaded by the Ministries of Interior and Education, ensures students can access higher education, HELB loans, and scholarships without delays caused by missing identification documents.Suba South MP Caroli Omondi proposed the Registration of Persons (Amendment) Bill, 2024, allowing students to be registered as voters while still in school, further promoting access to civic participation and government services.
Upcoming Results Release
The KCSE exams officially ended on November 22, 2024, with the marking process commencing soon after. A total of 965,501 candidates were registered for the exams. Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba announced that results will be released in January 2025, after the festive season.This year’s KCSE marked another significant chapter in Kenya’s education landscape, with enhanced measures for integrity, efforts to support post-secondary transitions, and expectations of commendable student performance despite challenges.
