The Principal of Nyambaria High School, Mr. Charles Onyari has been suspended by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). This is due to alleged exam malpractices in the school. The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) officials requested TSC to suspend the chief principal pending investigations.
KNEC officials are doing random checks in various schools during this examination period. In KCSE 2022, Nyambaria School emerged top under the former principal Boaz Owino. Boaz Owino is the one who preceded the now suspended administrator.
Statisticians criticized the Nyambaria result arguing that it did meet the normal grade distribution curve. Of the 488 candidates that sat the exam from the national school, 28 scored straight A’s. 383 scored A-minus, 76 of them scored B+ (Plus) and only one candidate scored a B plain. This meant that all the candidates met the university cut-off grade.
The result led to members of parliament seriously probing the education Cabinet Secretary Hon Ezekiel Machogu on possible exam irregularities. The CS defended KNEC but promised tougher rules in the 2023 KCSE management.
“It is true our principal was suspended by TSC on request from KNEC. We don’t know what is going on. We are all in the dark,” said a Nyambaria teacher who sought anonymity.
Rumor has it that some exam materials were confiscated by KNEC and DCI sleuths from near the school.
“This time round we are not going to allow schools to cheat with impunity. Some schools are shamelessly trying to spoil the examination but we will not allow that. The law shall take its course,” said a KNEC official while addressing the Nyambaria issue.
The details are still very scanty but the truth shall come out eventually. Only time will tell whether the action by KNEC and TSC will have an impact on the school’s performance in KCSE 2023.
