Kenya to upgrade computers used in exams

Kenya's Ministry of Education will spend 87 million Kenya shillings (US$1.3 million) to upgrade computer systems at the Kenya National Examinations Council to avoid errors in examination grading.

The ministry has awarded a tender for new systems to safeguard the integrity of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination results after the 2007 results raised controversy, said Sam Ongeri, the education minister.

In March this year some students who had scored A's had their celebrations cut short as their marks were recalled, and the ministry blamed the grading errors on aging computer systems.

While the systems upgrade will be finalized by the time students sit the next exams in October, Ongeri said a commission has been established to investigate irregularities in the grading of the 2007 KCSE exam.