More than one million pupils will this morning sit their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations.
The exams, however, kick off amid fears of flooding in several parts of the country that are experiencing heavy downpour, including northern Kenya.
Yesterday, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang and Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) Chief Executive Mercy Karogo said all was set for the exams to kick off today.
Dr Kipsang said the Ministry of Education is co-ordinating with that of Interior to have police helicopters on standby to deliver examination papers to areas that are impassable by road.
“We are working closely with the police air wing to ... provide the necessary assistance across the country. We have also, as a ministry, mobilised some choppers to complement the ones from the police department,” he said.
Timely intervention
About 1,088,986 candidates will this morning take the Standard Eight test in 27,809 centres across the country, starting with mathematics and English section A in the morning, and English composition in the afternoon.
On Wednesday, they will be tested in science, Kiswahili lugha and Kiswahili insha, before finishing off with social studies and religious education on Thursday.
The exams will be available in three variants: normal print, large print and braille.
Kipsang said the multi-agency team co-ordinating the exams – which includes the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior, Knec, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – is monitoring and evaluating all possible risks to provide intervention in a timely way.
“We have all synchronised to ensure that our children get the best from these exams,” he said.
The PS also warned that exam centre managers will be held personally liable for the administration of the exams.
“The classrooms and the schools are officially exam centres, and the centre managers must take their responsibilities and ensure there are no malpractices,” he said.
Dr Karogo added that Knec has prepared for the administration of the exams, and asked parents not to put pressure on the candidates as there will 100 per cent transition.
She said the integrity and sanctity of the papers are assured.
Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) Chair Nicholas Gathemia said no candidate would be locked out of the exams, whether they are in hospital or jail.
“We need concerted efforts from parents to ensure that all candidates sit their papers,” he said.
To ensure all candidates sit the exams, in South Rift, the Government plans to relocate examination centres in Samburu, Turkana and Kajiado counties should the ongoing rains render existing centres inaccessible.
The contingency plan was announced yesterday by Rift Valley Education Director John Oloituaa during rehearsals by the 307,000 candidates who will sit the exams in the region.
Turkana and Samburu counties are the worst hit by floods that have washed away sections of roads and rendered various schools inaccessible.
“We still can’t give the number of the centres to be relocated at the moment because we are still doing the mapping to determine who will be moved where,” Mr Oloituaa said.
Reported delays
The Ministry of Education relocated pupils from schools recently affected by floods in Turkana County, with the county education director, Peter Mokiri, saying this would ensure more than 11,000 candidates sit their exams. Lodwar Primary, for instance, will host more than 200 candidates affected by poor roads and floods after the seasonal Kowalase River broke its banks.
“We have few qualified invigilators assigned to respective examination centres and we still need more for effective administration of the exams. Some centres have more than 500 candidates against the assigned invigilators,” said Mr Mokiri.
According to regulations, one invigilator should be in charge of 20 candidates.
Counties that have in the past reported exam delays due to difficult terrain include Kajiado, Baringo, Nakuru, Narok, West Pokot and Samburu.
Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya said more police officers have also been deployed in counties that experience cases of cattle rustling, including Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Turkana, Laikipia and Samburu
In Elgeyo Marakwet, County Director of Education Masibo Kituyi said transportation of exam papers would be heavily guarded. Kamelei, Kamelei B, Kipsitona, Tenderwa, Kalya and Liter primary schools recently reopened after prolonged conflict in their neighbourhood.
In Kakamega and Bungoma counties, rehearsals for the exams went on without a hitch.
However, in Kirinyaga County, 130 candidates had to be moved and accommodated by various families after footbridges connecting their homes to exam centres were swept away.
[Rawlings Otieno, Mercy Kahenda, Edward Kosut, Bakari Angela, Eric Lungai, John Shilitsa and Munene Kamau]
