The Communication Authority of Kenya and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation have failed to convince the National Assembly Education Committee of ways how to curb examination cheating.

During a meeting held on Tuesday at Serena Hotel, Chair of the committee Julius Melly said the Authorities did not provide conclusive information on their investigations towards national examination malpractices.

Melly, therefore, sent back the authorities to come back with a detailed report on ways to curb examination cheating.

“Our discussions were not conclusive. We have actually directed the Communications Authority to come before this committee with more detailed information on cyber security information on cheating especially on Telegram, Signal, Whatsapp and Facebook,” Melly said.

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“On the DCI similarly, the information they gave us was not very conclusive. In fact, they have actually given us information that is very stale, which is about six months old.

“We are going to have another meeting and they should specifically come back with very clear specific issues that we have asked them.”

CA Director General Ezra Chiloba shocked the committee members after he said that they have been unable to take down several social media accounts used in exam cheating.

This is after members were concerned about why CAK was taking too long to pull down accounts related to exam malpractices.

The accounts which he termed as ‘over the top services include Telegram, Whatsapp, Facebook and Signals.

In his defence, Chiloba said the Authority is facing challenges since they don’t have a centralized contact point with the service providers.

“It is not easy to take down the accounts. We don’t have the legal powers to take down Telegram and Signal. We have to collaborate and work closely with the service providers,” Chiloba said.

In a closed-door meeting, Melly said the DCI indicated that they identified and arrested the exam peddlers but they did not outline the charges they held against them.

“They didn’t give us what charges were preferred on them, how many have been jailed, how many probably teachers if any were interdicted, how many officers propagated this malpractice have been arrested and what is the way forward on this particular issue,” Melly said.

“We want to know them by name, ID number and the crime they have committed. You can’t just generalize and say exam university students or teachers. You must be very specific.

“We have owners of phones. They are registered. They have phone numbers and names. The people who peddled these are known. That is why we are telling them to go back and come give us specific issues.”

He added that the committee is very serious especially on the issue of cheating to ensure the issues raised by the public get answers.

The chair said the committee will draft a detailed report after the meeting, that will address exam cheating in the country.

“After this particular meeting, we shall restrict as a committee and drive a detailed report on how to make sure exam cheating is brought to an end in this country,” Melly said.

MPs are seeking the introduction of a day school wing in all public primary and secondary boarding schools.

The legislative proposal presented by Kiminini MP Didmus Barasa was subjected to pre-publication scrutiny by the Education Committee on Wednesday.

Members of the Committee led by Julius Melly said the proposed Basic Education (Amendment) Bill 2023 is good and is in the spirit of CBC.

In his proposal, Barasa noted that lack of boarding fees has denied most needy students to go to their desired schools.

“A public school that is a boarding school may admit a child as a day student where a parent or a guardian makes a request for the child to attend school as a day student and the schools is located within close proximity from the place where the student decides,” the bill reads in part.

This proposal seeks to allow students residing close to schools to opt for day schooling.

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This would then call for the amendment of the Basic Education Act 2013.

Barasa proposed the introduction of this part to the Basic Education Act 2013 section 34 (5) which states that no student should be denied admission in a public school.

“Most children drop out and opt for day schools when offered a chance in national schools because they lack boarding fees, which is always the most expensive,” Barasa told the Star.

Currently, most national schools in the country only have the boarding section.

If this proposal is adopted then students will have the option of being day scholars even in national schools.

“Why should a parent spend on a bed and blanket at school yet they have these essentials at home?” he paused.

The Kimilili lawmaker cited examples of countries where boarding schools are restricted to students with disabilities.

“This category of students are those that have challenges going back home every day. So having a day section is something we need to adapt as a country,” he added.

This debate on boarding schools and their affordability began in 2022.

Stakeholders argued that parents should be allowed to take their children to schools where they can afford.

“Children go to day secondary schools and still pass exams. It’s not true that you have to be a boarder in secondary school to pass exams,” he added.

In 2022, Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang ‘ revealed that parents would have to take their primary school children to day school.

“We must create a way in which we can be with our children and the only way is through day schooling. The first nine years of learning that are Grades 1 to 9, the direction that the government is taking will be day schooling,” Kipsang’ said.