• In Nairobi a total of 35 phones were found in one centre.
• 10 examination officials have replaced across the country.
Image: BEN NDONGA
Nairobi accounts for the highest number of exam malpractice in the ongoing KCSE exams.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha on Friday said at least 50 phones used in cheating have been confiscated across the country.
Out of these phones, 35 have been recovered at an examination centre in Nairobi.
Magoha said the recovery at St. Teresa Boys Primary School where 154 private candidates are sitting the exams led to the arrest of some 26 candidates.
He said so far DCI detectives had managed to positively identify the owners of 24 out of the 35 phones.
The CS said investigations have been launched to establish the owners of the remaining phones.
As a result, Magoha said the government will relook at the concept of private students sitting for national examinations.
He said the students hid phones between their legs and others under their pants.
"It took an intervention of a Muslim chief who discovered phones between the legs of students in a Nairobi centre," he said.
In Wajir, a Chemistry teacher wrote the results of the exam on the blackboard.
"This is mischief of the highest order and we will deal with him."
Magoha revealed that already 10 examination officials have been replaced after being found guilty of facilitating the cheating.
Earlier in the week, the CS maintained that any candidate found guilty of cheating will not receive their results.
This followed reports that some parents in Migori, Kisii and Homa Bay had collected massive money to pay examination officers to aide in cheating.
Magoha said those behind the scheme have identified the supervisor to be paid Sh120,000, invigilator Sh60,000 and security officer Sh40,000.
He warned that they have taken action and those in exam malpractice will face the full force of the law.
On Wednesday, some 14 people were arrested on Wednesday in Kisii County after attempting to cheat in the exams.