KCSE cheating: 10 teachers to pay Ksh.2M bond each as two candidates caught with phones in Kiambu

Ten teachers from Pala Masogo Secondary School in Homa Bay County were on Wednesday slapped with a Ksh.2 million bond each and a surety of a similar amount following charges of examination malpractice in the ongoing KCSE.

Appearing before Homa Bay Senior Resident Magistrate Christine Auka, the ten denied the three fraud-related counts of examination malpractice levelled against them.

"It is so directed that summons be issued to the investigating officer to address the matters raised by the defence on when the accused persons were arrested, and we have consented that the matter be mentioned on 20th November 2024 for purposes of setting up a pretrial," said Magistrate Auka.

The teachers were apprehended photocopying the 2024 KCSE Chemistry paper.

The third day of the KCSE 2024 exams was also marred by irregularities as two candidates from Membley High School in Kiambu were found in possession of unauthorized material inside the examination hall.

Ruiru DCC Julius Too indicated that the two were caught with mobile phones just before sitting on the paper and that they had not yet used the phones when they were caught.

"They will continue with the exams, so we have allowed them to sit, and the Kenya Examination Council will take action as the police also take action, but I assure you the exam has not leaked,"  said Ruiru DCIO Jeremiah Ndubai.

In Laikipia County, a small corner of the maternity wing at Nyahururu County Hospital was turned into an examination hall.

One of two candidates who delivered her baby on Tuesday was allowed to write her papers from the ward, while another appealed to the relevant agencies for permission to write her papers from the hospital to avoid the daily strain of travelling over 25 kilometres each day for the exams.

"Naamka mapema naenda kwa DC niwagojee niende na wao juu sina means ingine ya kwenda shule ni hao ndio nategemea wanipeleke na wanirudishe na huko shule napia challenges mingi kama kukalia form na nimeshonwa," said the  candidate.

The candidate's mother added, "Mtusaidie tu afanyie huko kwa hospitali asiteseke sana sababu kwa sasa anateseka sana juu anatoka saa kumi na mbili kwa hospitali na anarudi saa kumi na mbili na mtoto wake ako nursery."

In Kericho, three candidates from Kaplong also wrote their papers in the hospital.