Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Kiyiapi: Internal probe ongoing over cancelled exams



By Steve Mkawale

A sharp rift has emerged between Education Minister Prof. Sam Ongeri and his Permanent Secretary Prof James Ole Kiyiapi over the cancellation of last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results that affected some 3, 000 candidates.
Prof Kiyiapi on Wednesday supported a probe instituted by Parliament to establish the reason behind the cancellation of the exam results that badly affected candidates from North Eastern province.
Kiyiapi, who appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that was chaired by Mwala MP Daniel Muoki over Sh2 billion-audit query and a further Sh252 million probe on Constituency Bursaries, differed with the minister when asked to make comments on the KCSE exam saga.
Ongeri and Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) Chief Executive Officer Mr Paul Wasanga had earlier snubbed the parliamentary committee on Education probing the exam cancellation that affected 154 exam centers across the country (related story).
1, 600 candidates whose results were cancelled came from three counties in the North Eastern Kenya.
Ongeri has requested the Education Committee headed by Mosop MP David Koech to give him more time to prepare before facing the probe team.
Wednesday, Kiyapi termed as personal remarks made by Wasanga that the cancellation of part of the 2011 KCSE results could not be subjected to a forensic Audit.
He told members of the PAC that an internal investigation would lay basis for further action against those involved in exam cheating. He dismissed Wasanga’s defence of the cancellation of the exams saying the statement by the KNEC chief executive officer was personal and does not reflect the views of the ministry.
Kiyapi made the remarks after Bura MP Dr Nuh Nassir prompted him to comment on the matter that caused Garissa residents to riot for three days protesting the cancellation.
He said the matter couldn’t be wished away confirming that the ministry was already in the process of carrying out an internal investigation that would lay basis for further investigations.
"We are undertaking our own internal investigations that will lay basis for further action whether we commence forensic audit or not," said the PS.
Nuh had sought his feelings over the rejection by the exams council to probe the circumstances leading to the cancellation of candidates’ results on grounds of collusion and cheating. To avoid a repeat of such in future, action must be taken against those involved.
Knec had rejected MPs call for a forensic audit into the examination fiasco that saw over 1600 candidates in Garissa alone cancelled. Wasanga insisted that most of the cancelled results were due to collusion between students and outsiders and smuggling materials in examination rooms.

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