According to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), a printing error may have resulted in thousands of candidates receiving higher grades than they deserved for the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Appearing before the National Assembly Education Committee on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere answered for the irregularities and descripancies in the 2023 KCSE results.
The KNEC boss told the committee that a system glitch resulted in the omission of the minus sign (-) from some grades. This means, some results may have been recorded as B instead of B-.
The Education committee heard that the glitch affected the results of some 3018 candidates spread across 1059 examination centres nationwide.
KNEC, however, claimed that the error only appeared in the printed out hardcopy results that were sent to schools.
The agency maintained that results in its online portal were accurate, adding that it had since sent out the correct rollouts to schools countrywide.
MPs, however, put the agency to task over the emotional and mental trauma that the incorrect rollouts may have caused learners and their families.
CS Machogu on his part assured the committee that the ministry had taken measures to ensure a similar instance is avoided in future.
"A technical team was constituted, with representation from the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy, the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Unit and the ICT Authority," Machogu stated.
"By a letter dated March 4, 2024, the team submitted its report to the Ministry of Education", he added.
The Education Committee further urged KNEC to ensure constant upgrading of their IT systems.