KCPE exam kicks off countrywide on a smooth run
By People Team, March 8, 2022The 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) kicked off smoothly across the country yesterday despite attempts by bandits to disrupt the exercise in parts of Baringo County.
Panic gripped candidates at Kapkechir and Karne primary schools in the county after gunshots rent the air following an attack by bandits in the area.
Though the gunshots were not targeted at the schools, they caused unease among the students who had to be reassured of their safety as they sat the exams in the conflict-hit region.
Many candidates in the area are sitting their exams in different schools after they were moved due to insecurity and rampant cattle rustling in the North Rift.
Kerio Valley and parts of Baringo North and Baringo South sub-counties have experienced rampant cases of banditry for the better part of this year which has left at least 20 people dead in the past two weeks, forcing learners and their parents to flee the area.
Merging learners
A spot-check by People Daily revealed that in Baringo county, nine centres are most affected with the Education ministry merging learners from Sinoni, Chebinyiny, Chepkesin, Arabal, Kasiela, Kapindasum, Tuiyotich and Kapkechir with other areas.
Baringo County Commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa, who witnessed the distribution of examination materials to all the 18, 342 candidates, expressed confidence that the exercise will go on without any hitches.
“All candidates in the banditry-prone areas of Baringo North and Baringo South sub-counties will be provided with adequate security throughout the examination period,” said the administrator.
In Elgeyo-Marakwet County, candidates from Kipkorot and Kapchelal primary schools are jointly doing their exams. Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Maalim Mohamed said candidates in banditry regions will be provided with boarding facilities and meals during the exam period.
“The government has set up temporary accommodation facilities for candidates in areas affected by insecurity,” he said.
He noted that the tests began without a hitch across the 14 counties and 87 sub-counties in the Rift Valley.
Later, reports indicated that candidates in the two schools close to the area where bandits struck yesterday may have to be moved to another exam centre; Kabel primary school.
This came as Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) George Magoha said he was in touch with his Interior counterpart Dr Fred Matiang’i to ensure there is adequate security and including standby helicopters to allow a smooth exam process.
“We have converged the affected candidates in a few schools including high schools and they are doing their exams. I am at this moment not worried that any children are not going to take their exams because of insecurity issues… even those bandits are human beings and have blood so if they are bold enough let them come out,” said the CS, who supervised the exam in Kakamega County.
“Our children who have been in the secure areas are going to be fed and they will sleep in those schools,” he assured.
In the morning as he opened the exam container, the CS assured that the government had taken all precautions, especially in Baringo where there have been security challenges, to ensure exams go on smoothly.
The CS noted that the current would bring to an end the 2021 academic year.
He urged all education officials to focus on the integrity of the second paper of the day, saying the ministry is watching a group of teachers who are allegedly out to confuse learners.
The Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) chief executive Dr David Njengere was optimistic of a “clean” exam, saying that together with the ministry, they were working on strategies to strengthen the tests process.
“Even as late as this morning (yesterday) our County Directors of Education have been working closely with the Ministry of Interior to ensure all children can sit their exam and in a secure environment and we will continue receiving updates of the situation,” said Njengere.
He noted that only the Deputy County Commissioners and Sub-County Directors of Education had keys to containers where exam papers are stored.
“When exams leave the containers, they are supposed to be escorted by armed security officers and when they get to the schools ensure the gates remain open throughout the exam period. The second session paper, which in many cases is the one that gets exposure, the security officers should have an eye on it throughout the day,” Njengere said when he opened an exam container at Nairobi West.
He urged students to be faithful to themselves and desist from any cheating attempt. Other than a few instances in Baringo, the exam started without major hitches in other parts of the country.
In Kisii County, a KCPE candidate is writing the exam at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH) after she delivered a day to the tests.
Education Principal Secretary (PS), Julius Jwan said the exam started smoothly in the county, adding that arrangements had been made to ensure the candidate, who hails from Etago sub-county, completes all the papers.
“I am happy with the process. We have an adequate number of security officers across the 698 examination centres in Kisii,” Jwan said after he witnessed the opening and distribution of the exam for Kisii Central.
The PS said the fire broke out at Kiongongi Primary School in Kitutu Central due to a gas explosion but did not affect the exams.
“The fire broke out at around 2.30 am and candidates were not in school. We are investigating the matter but it has nothing to do with the exams,” Jwan said assured
In Kiambu, more than 3,000 candidates in the Ruiru sub-county enjoyed free meals. The meals, provided to all candidates in public institutions by area MP Simon King’ara through his foundation for the fifth-year running, are meant to give learners morale and encourage them to concentrate on the exam.
King’ara, who said his foundation had offered Sh1.25 million for the programme, revealed the move to support the learners was reached after financially-hit parents approached him. He said that most parents from the constituency are yet to heal from the harsh effects of the Covid-19 pandemic that saw most of them fired while others closed their businesses.
Merging learners
Elsewhere, three students in Embu are taking their exams in Embu level 5 hospital for various reasons.
Two candidates have been delivered at the hospital and one is on normal medication.
Confirming the cases Embu county director for education James Kairu said the students were in good spirits and had taken their papers well.
Eastern Regional Director for education William Sugut assured KCPE candidates and parents of tight security during the examination period even as 196,434 candidates in Eastern Region commence doing their national examinations.
— Report by Irene Githinji, Robert Ochoro, Wycliff Kipsang, Kepher Otieno, Mathew Ndung’u, Eric Juma, Kirera Mwiti and Brian Malila