KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations kicked off on Monday 22nd October, 2018. 664, 586 students will be taking the exams, which test what they have studied in their four years of secondary education in three to four weeks. This year, the state has undertaken many tyrannical measures to stop exam cheating, including threatening to send parents of children caught cheating to jail.
We're joined by Nyambura Mutanyi, a multi-disciplinary artist who has been active in crafting education policy, to discuss what causes exam cheating, how prevalent it is (less than 1% of candidates are caught cheating), and what we can do to improve the state of examinations and education in general in Kenya. Press play!
Resources
Why Kenyan students are cheating in their exams and what can be done
[2016] New formula crafted to curb exam cheating
[2016] National school candidates among 5,101 KSCE exam cheats
[2016] Report reveals how teachers, students used phones to cheat in KCSE
[2016] Schools calendar overhauled in new war against exam cheating
[2017] Exam cheats to be fined Sh5 million
[2017] Boarding schools to be audited and why many may be closed
30 schools on State watchlist for collecting exam cheating money
Knec names national exam cheating hotspots
Tight security as KCSE exams begin
200 schools targeted in exam cheating probe
Teachers asking for Sh10,000 to buy exams, warns KNEC
Meeting on cheating in exams scheduled
KCSE begins today as Government puts in tough exam measures
Technology Assisted Violence Against Women (TAVAW) comprises acts of gender-based violence that are committed through the use of Information and Communication Technologies(ICTs), such as phones, the Internet, social media platforms, and email. Many questions arise: is online violence really violence? Why is TAVAW such an important issue to address? What are the ways in which women experience technology assisted violence? What are its consequences, and how can we stop it?
We’re joined by Muthoni Maingi, a digital media strategist, to talk about this. Press play!
Resources
Ending Technology-Assisted Violence Against Women in Kenya
#Toxictwitter: Violence and Abuse Against Women Online
Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls: a World-Wide Wake-Up Call
Understanding Technology-Related Violence Against Women: Types of Violence and Women’s Experiences
Technology-Related Violence Against Women – Recent Legislative Trends
In September 2016, Kenya passed the Banking Amendment Act, creating interest rate controls where there were none before. It sets the maximum lending rate at no more than 4% above the Central Bank base rate; and the minimum interest rate granted on a deposit held in interest earning accounts with commercial banks to at least 70% of the same rate.
There has been an ongoing debate in the two years since on whether we should remove these controls because of their perverse effect on our economy. Today, we're joined by Elizabeth Wangechi, the Head of Research at Genghis Capital, to discuss the impact of these controls. Press play!
Resources
The Banking (Amendment) Act 2016
The Impact of Interest Rate Capping on the Kenyan Economy - Full
The Impact of Interest Rate Capping on the Kenyan Economy - Summary
CBK regrets interest rates cap due to negative effects on economy
MPs uphold rate cap law, scrap interest on savings
Kenya currently has two draft Data Protection bills both tabled in 2018. One is a Senate Bill sponsored by senator Gideon Moi, while the other is a National Assembly Bill sponsored by the Ministry of ICT. The right to privacy is a fundamental human right. In Article 31, our constitution says that every person has the right to privacy, which includes the right not to have - their person, home or property searched; their possessions seized; information relating to their family or private affairs unnecessarily required or revealed; or the privacy of their communications infringed.
Today we’re joined by Lucy Mwangi, an ICT lawyer, to discuss the importance of data protection and privacy, the pros and cons of each draft bill, as well as best case practices (such as the GDPR - General Data Protection Regulations) we should aim for in our legislation. Press play!
Resources
Senate Data Protection Bill, 2018
Ministry of ICT Data Protection Bill, 2018
Privacy and Data Protection Policy 2018 – Kenya
General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR
What is GDPR and how will it affect you?