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{
    "id": 325798,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/325798/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 468,
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    "content": "It is important that while addressing the Council we bear in mind that the whole country desires to have a credible examination council that will be able to provide credible examinations and produce results that will not be questioned. We recall that in the past parents from Musa Gitau Primary School cried for results that had been provided by the KNEC, and on remarking, the pupils from that school who had failed passed. That was a big question mark on the credibility of the KNEC. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, aware that some of the neighbouring countries in this region have already started doing our examinations, like South Sudan, we should be able to maintain very high standards of confidence and trust so that we can expand our role and participate in providing enlightenment in this region. If I look at the Bill, I find that the Headquarters of the KNEC is not properly stipulated. It should be indicated properly where it is so that even people coming to this country will know exactly where it is. It is appalling that the Headquarters of the KNEC that has been under construction for the last 24 years is not complete up to now. So, I call upon the Government to make sure that adequate funds are released to complete the Headquarters of the KNEC, which is the pride of this nation. In addition, it is important - as desired by Kenyans - that the necessary reforms in terms of management and supervision of the council are speeded up. Concerning the appointment of the chair of the council, it is clearly spelt out that the appointment will be done by the President. I would suggest that the vetting process to conclude the whole appointment must involve this Parliament. The chair’s experience is expected to be in the region of 15 years. I think that with the big number of graduates in this country “tarmacking”, the experience period must be re-considered. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, concerning exam malpractices, in this country, there are some people who have continued to enrich themselves through the national examinations. They are harvesting where they never sowed. In Grogan Road in Nairobi, any examination paper is procured there and, therefore, it is important that, with the passage of this Bill, examination malpractices will be addressed. I would suggest that the penalty for committing that irregularity must be enhanced to ten years. Even fines should be increased. On impersonation, this has been a big question mark. I think the penalties proposed in the Bill must be enhanced. Counterfeiting of academic certificates is serious because during interviews for jobs, many fake certificates have been produced. The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) must have the necessary mechanisms to detect some of those irregularities. Even some people have decided to engage in that illegal trade. Those people should not be given leeway to engage in that illegal trade. Therefore, I am calling for higher penalties. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, on the security of examinations, examinations have been leaked out while on transit, storage and delivery. Therefore, it is important to involve the security agents in this country. It has emerged that in 2010, when the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS) was involved, examinations did not leak out. But who decided not to involve that very important body in 2011? That calls for a big question and I think in 2012, the NSIS and other security organs like the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and other bodies must be invited by the KNEC to facilitate maximum security of the examinations."
}