New National Exams Rules and Protocols as Kisii School Heads Focus On Preparedness
School heads in Kisii County gathered at Gucha at Tendere School for a sensitization exercise in preparation for upcoming national exams.
Jacqueline Mbaya, an internal auditor for the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC), led the session, which had the goal of preparing examination center managers for their responsibilities during the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
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During the meeting, the officials informed the center managers about the essential examination requirements and procedures that they had to adhere to.
One notable update included the directive that only Teachers Service Commission (TSC)-employed teachers would have permission to administer examinations.
This is a departure from previous practices where teachers with TSC numbers, who were not necessarily TSC employees, were considered for invigilation responsibilities. This measure is to safeguard the integrity of the examination process.
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Furthermore, the authorities informed center managers about a new protocol for collecting exam papers from the designated containers.
The collection of morning session papers will occur at 7 a.m., while the collection of afternoon session papers will be at noon.
This supplanted the prior practice of collecting both morning and afternoon examination papers in the morning.
“To facilitate easier identification, morning session papers will be colored yellow and afternoon session papers will be colored blue, assisting exam supervisors in identifying and preventing confusion during collection,” Mbaya explained.
In addition, Mbaya stated that center administrators will unseal examination papers five minutes prior to the scheduled start time.
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During the examination period, the school gates will remain open to facilitate access for authorized individuals.
Pamela Magunga, director of the Sub-County TSC, emphasized the invigilation ratios.
KNEC will appoint one supervisor for every 200 candidates and assign invigilators at a ratio of 1 for every 20 candidates.
She further mentioned that schools with fewer candidates would merge with other centers to optimize resource utilization.
David Akhaklea, director of education for a sub-county, emphasized the gravity of the center managers’ duties in the examination process by reiterating their utmost responsibility.
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He issued a stern warning to those who did not participate in the sensitization process, alluding to their possible exclusion and subsequent replacement.
Deputy County Commissioner Esther Kungu pledged the complete support of the security apparatus to guarantee increased security during the examination period.
Teachers in attendance called upon KNEC to guarantee timely remuneration for those participating in the exercise. They said this will maintain high morale and dedication among all stakeholders involved.
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The KCPE and KPSEA national examinations will begin simultaneously on October 31 and November 1. On October 27 for KCPE and October 19 for KCSE, candidates will undergo examination rehearsals.
On November 6, the KCSE main papers will begin with chemistry paper 1 in the morning session. The English paper 1, which focuses primarily on functional skills, will be the afternoon session.
24 supervisors and 69 invigilators will supervise the 24 KCSE examination centers in Gucha.
49 supervisors and 249 invigilators will oversee both the KCPE and KPSEA examinations.
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New National Exams Rules and Protocols as Kisii School Heads Focus On Preparedness