The Ministry of Education efforts to contain malpractices in national examinations at all levels are bearing fruit, officials have said. Education officials said this on Friday while releasing results of Advanced Level (A-level), Technical and Vocational Training and Education (TVET) as well as Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs) for 2017 academic year. Generally, few cases of malpractices were reported at both A-level and in TVET schools, according to the ministry. Releasing the results, Isaac Munyakazi, the state minister for Primary and Secondary Education, said few cases of examination malpractices in A-level were registered last year compared to the previous year. Only 16 cases of malpractices were reported in Senior Six exams last year compared to 56 cases in the previous year, he said. In Technical and Vocation Education and Training (TVET), 17 cases of malpractices were reported. In total, 41,753 students sat A-level exams last year while 22,101 candidates sat for TVET examinations with 89.5 per cent and 89.2 percent passing, respectively. Munyakazi attributed the decrease in malpractices to efforts put in by the ministry and other institutions from preparations of exams, distribution to invigilation. “With many having entered with sheets of papers and caught with them. We put in a lot of efforts and our goal is to completely curb malpractices,” said Munyakazi. Institut Saint Aloys Kibungo registered the biggest number of candidates who cheated where results for nine candidates were withheld. Others include E.S Gasiza in Rulindo, Camp Kigali school in Nyarugenge District; G.S Bihinga in Gatsibo District, and GS Nyagatare in Nyagatare District registered one case of malpractice each while others were private candidates. In TVET, candidates whose results were withheld due to malpractice were 17 with most of them said to have entered examination rooms with sheet of papers, according to Olivier Rwamukwaya, the state minister for TVET. “This is misconduct we should not tolerate and we want this to serve as an example so that others can learn from them,” he said, without mentioning which TVET schools were involved in malpractices. While candidates whose results were released can access their results through internet and by sending SMS to 489 using their full index number, candidates who were involved in examinations malpractices will get a message reading: “Punished for examination malpractices.” Candidates who were punished for examinations malpractices but wish to appeal may do so in less than 30 days from the date the exams were published, according to the Ministry of Education. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
