As the national examinations progress, the Internal Security Principal Secretary, Dr Raymond Omollo, has confirmed a government crackdown on exam leaks on social media.
Speaking at a press briefing on October 29, PS Omollo revealed that the government has activated a multi-agency task force to monitor and prevent fake exam leaks on social media ahead of national assessments.
He confirmed that the National Command Centre, domiciled at the Ministry of Interior, has been fully operational to coordinate real-time responses and protect the integrity of examinations.
“The National Command Centre, domiciled at the Ministry of Interior, has been fully activated to coordinate real-time response efforts and deter criminals intent on compromising the integrity of national examinations,” PS Omollo said.
Additionally, PS Omollo highlighted the collaboration between the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Education, county administrations, and sub-county security teams.
“We have over 600 containers spread across the sub-counties. Within the sub-counties, the Sub-County Director of Education is responsible for this backed by the Sub-County Security and Intelligence Committee,” he said.
According to the PS, the government’s strategy includes continuous surveillance of social media to identify and deter attempts to leak exam content or commit digital fraud.
PS Omollo explained that previous exam cycles experienced challenges with social media misuse, including early exposure of papers and fraudulent schemes targeting students and parents.
“We have the team from ICT looking at issues of the use of social media to try to pretend where people are pretending to be sharing information and even collecting money from unsuspecting parents, teachers, or students,” he said.
He emphasized that any breaches detected would prompt immediate action, including legal proceedings.
The National Command Centre serves as a hub to access information and intervene where gaps or potential threats are identified.
“Where we have found breaches or where we come across those breaches, we’ll be able to act appropriately,” PS Omollo said.
Further, Omollo addressed potential logistical challenges, including delays in exam distribution or emergencies such as students falling ill.
Backup measures, such as alternative distribution routes and airlifting of examination materials if necessary, are in place to ensure smooth administration.
“The preparations that are in place are good enough to ensure that we don’t mess with or interfere with the integrity of the examinations,” he said.
The PS acknowledged that isolated incidents have occurred but stated that teams are working around the clock to resolve them efficiently.
He praised the collaboration between all stakeholders, including regional directors of education and centre managers, which has contributed to a secure and well-coordinated examination process.
