AN 'F' FOR MEDIA COVERAGE OF EXAM RIOTS

A week to the release of the 2011 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam results, I argued the local media needed to get an assurance from the Kenya National Examination Council that everything was in order. And now, we have riots over cancellation of some exam results, which the local media is happy to highlight.



Based on past monumental errors linked to how KNEC had been discharging it's duties, I had urged the media to be proactive in seeking to smoke out any irregularities, and among other issues, help ascertain:

"That all cases of cheating and other malpractices have been validly identified, cross-checked and the fate of the culprits justifiably sealed."

It has since emerged that no KNEC official was present in Northern Kenya, to supervise the 2011 KCSE, and yet the cancelled results that sparked off riots, happen to be from the same region.

According to Capital FM, KNEC's Chief Executive says lack of security and inadequate staff prevented them from monitoring exams, which led to widespread cheating. In a way, does it mean  the dishonest candidates were encouraged by KNEC's shortcomings?

But back to my bone of contention, these are some of the issues the local media should have sought to expose, before the release of KCSE results, instead of only waiting to give immense and reactionary coverage to the aftermath of cancelled exam results.

And for that, the local media scores an F.

REASON FOR EXAMS SEASON OF ERRORS

In about a week's time, the 2011 examination results for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education will be released. If the past is anything to go by, there should be a number of administrative errors just waiting to come out of the Kenya National Examination Council's closet.

And predictably as well, the reactionary local media will ferociously put KNEC on the spot, for once again failing in its own homework, even as it oversees the grading of students and schools, based on their performance in the secondary school leaving exams.

Here is a thought though. Why shouldn't the scrutiny and media attention start prior to the release of the exams?

For starters, the Minister of Education can be asked or tasked with giving an assurance that the results and rankings he is schedule to release in the coming days, have been certified as being free from errors, human, computer, or otherwise.

That every mix-up in ranking of schools or individuals has been rectified.

That all the averages add up, that all A-grades are deserved and all failures have been appropriately earned.

That all cases of cheating and other malpractices have been validly identified, cross-checked and the fate of the culprits justifiably sealed.

That the KNEC website will be able to handle the expected surge in traffic, when the results are released, ad nauseam.

Or will this deny the media a revered opportunity to revel in the misfortunes of KNEC?