Dear Citizens,
I am simply perplexed at how an "outdated computer programming language" can be
blamed for such a fiasco.
With all due respect, SOMEONE is responsible for ensuring that no "outdated
programs" are used, assuming that the report is really true.There is absolutely
no room for such complacency, not when you are talking about the future of
these children.
We surely cannot simply blame a machine that requires instruction then say the
machine let the country down.
We are talking about the credibility of the Kenyan education system here!
We have for years read such bizzare stories happening in other "banana"
republics and it appears we spent so much time laughing we forgot to look at
ourselves and continued living in "past glory".
Such things were unheard of in Kenya then. These days we are simply a laughing
stock of the so called "banana" republics!
Can someone stand up and take responsibility please!
Gilda Odera
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: KCSE results fiasco explained? (bitange@jambo.co.ke)
2. KCSE (bitange@jambo.co.ke)
3. Re: KCSE results fiasco explained? (Frank Ojiambo)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:53:29 +0300 (EAT)
From: bitange@jambo.co.ke
Subject: Re: [kictanet] KCSE results fiasco explained?
To: "David Aduda" <daduda@nation.co.ke>
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Message-ID: <50958.213.42.2.22.1207828409.squirrel@mail.jambo.co.ke>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
Dear Aduda,
You are dealing with multiple errors here. The first error was created by
a computer programmer. The second error was created by either the
reporter or the messenger who tried to correct error number one. Errors
of omission are common when fundermentals are not observed. We need to
examine the software since Hardware (the computer) does nothing unless
instructed to do so.
Regards
Ndemo.
Colleagues,
I would be excited to get someone who can explain how the so-called
computer error just happened this year and how a body (KNEC) entrusted
with the noble task of setting, administering, marking and grading marks
for our children could not detect the problem upfront. Is computer
becoming the latter day punching bag for grave human mistakes? And does
the computer generate its own data or fit's ed by human beings?
If there is nay error here, blame my computer?
Aduda
----------
From: kictanet-bounces+daduda=nation.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke on
behalf of Leonard Mware
Sent: Wednesday, April 9, 2008 1:29 PM
To: David Aduda
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] KCSE results fiasco explained?
<<File: ATT5157354.txt>>
'Outdated' as in fashion or not just not able to crunch figures due to
'uzee"?
----- Original Message ----
From: John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com>
To: mleonardo@yahoo.com
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Wednesday, April 9, 2008 10:11:36 AM
Subject: [kictanet] KCSE results fiasco explained?
Daily Nation, 9th April.
A programming error is to blame for last year?s KCSE
results fiasco in which the error led to the adjustment of
mean grades for some students.
Education Minister Sam Ongeri said when he released a
report on last year?s Form Four examinations fiasco
yesterday. The report blamed outdated computer programming
language for the error which led to the adjustment of mean
grades for nearly 40,000 candidates. It arose from the use
of an outdated version of a programming language at Kenya
National Examinations Council.
rest of story @
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?
category_id=1&newsid=120791
I found it quite difficult to understand how an 'outdated'
programming language that has been working well over the
years suddenly begins to lose memory (its mind?) due to the
'ageing' process...ama are we experiencing Y2K bug ver 2
remixed here?
...and now that the report is public, could Barnabas (ICT
Mnger, Education) shed some more technical light on what
could have transpired? Or maybe Prof. Kashorda who sat on
the Investigation committee? Because technically I still
dont get it...
walu.
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:34:11 +0300 (EAT)
From: bitange@jambo.co.ke
Subject: [kictanet] KCSE
To: kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
Cc: 'Catherine Ngahu' <cngahu@sboresearch.com>, KICTAnet ICT Policy
Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>, vkyalo@ict.go.ke
Message-ID: <16784.213.42.2.22.1207834451.squirrel@mail.jambo.co.ke>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
Dear All,
My earlier e-mail to Aduda has elisted direct questions as to how the
programing error could have occured. Usually errors such as the one
explained by the Minister occur during Data Mining.
Researchers generally define data mining (sometimes called data or
knowledge discovery) as the process of analyzing data from different
perspectives and summarizing it into useful information - information that
can be used to increase revenue, cuts costs, or both. Data mining software
is one of a number of analytical tools for analyzing data. It allows users
to analyze data from many different dimensions or angles, categorize it,
and summarize the relationships identified. Technically, data mining is
the process of finding correlations or patterns among dozens of fields in
large relational databases like KCSE.
Data does not automatically become information unless it is mined properly.
Ndemo
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:22:21 +0300
From: "Frank Ojiambo" <wanyama@nation.co.ke>
Subject: Re: [kictanet] KCSE results fiasco explained?
To: <bitange@jambo.co.ke>
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Message-ID:
<61CFDAF4B595904B9156E157C2D9D44C0A395006@NATIONMAIL.nation.co.ke>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Bitange,
Perhaps the likes of our Minister for Education, the KNEC Secretary and
others that choose to call a spade by any other name should submit to your
wise counsel.
And it's not just the software that needs examination. The KNEC Secretary
and his officers should be placed under a microscope considering plethora
problems that have perennially afflicted national examinations.
The abnormally high levels tolerance/impotence among Kenyans is perhaps to
blame.
It's for this reason that ECK Chairman Samuel Kivuitu and his team of zombies
are, bizzaringly still in office.
What of the top political leaders currently playing a dangerous chess game,
with the 35 million Kenyans relegated to mere pawns?
It's an insult that Prof Ongeri, Mr Wasanga and his team of goofers at KNEC
are still in office.
I long for the day when lynch mobs shall pay courtesy calls on such people
and do what they do best.
Frank
----------
From: kictanet-bounces+wanyama=nation.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke on
behalf
of bitange@jambo.co.ke
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 2:53 PM
To: Frank Ojiambo
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] KCSE results fiasco explained?
Dear Aduda,
You are dealing with multiple errors here. The first error was created by
a computer programmer. The second error was created by either the
reporter or the messenger who tried to correct error number one. Errors
of omission are common when fundermentals are not observed. We need to
examine the software since Hardware (the computer) does nothing unless
instructed to do so.
Regards
Ndemo.
Colleagues,
I would be excited to get someone who can explain how the so-called
computer error just happened this year and how a body (KNEC) entrusted
with the noble task of setting, administering, marking and grading marks
for our children could not detect the problem upfront. Is computer
becoming the latter day punching bag for grave human mistakes? And does
the computer generate its own data or fit's ed by human beings?
If there is nay error here, blame my computer?
Aduda
----------
From: kictanet-bounces+daduda=nation.co.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke on
behalf of Leonard Mware
Sent: Wednesday, April 9, 2008 1:29 PM
To: David Aduda
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] KCSE results fiasco explained?
<<File: ATT5157354.txt>>
'Outdated' as in fashion or not just not able to crunch figures due to
'uzee"?
----- Original Message ----
From: John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com>
To: mleonardo@yahoo.com
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Wednesday, April 9, 2008 10:11:36 AM
Subject: [kictanet] KCSE results fiasco explained?
>Daily Nation, 9th April.
A programming error is to blame for last year?s KCSE
results fiasco in which the error led to the adjustment of
mean grades for some students.
Education Minister Sam Ongeri said when he released a
report on last year?s Form Four examinations fiasco
yesterday. The report blamed outdated computer programming
language for the error which led to the adjustment of mean
grades for nearly 40,000 candidates. It arose from the use
of an outdated version of a programming language at Kenya
National Examinations Council.
>rest of story @
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?
category_id=1&newsid=120791
I found it quite difficult to understand how an 'outdated'
programming language that has been working well over the
years suddenly begins to lose memory (its mind?) due to the
'ageing' process...ama are we experiencing Y2K bug ver 2
remixed here?
...and now that the report is public, could Barnabas (ICT
Mnger, Education) shed some more technical light on what
could have transpired? Or maybe Prof. Kashorda who sat on
the Investigation committee? Because technically I still
dont get it...
walu.
________________________________________________________________________________
____
You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of
Blockbuster
Total Access, No Cost.
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Blockbuster
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