Transport challenges registered across the country as KCSE kick off

NAIROBI, KENYA: The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations kicked off smoothly in most centres in the country Tuesday. However, some centres registered minor constraints ranging from co-ordination issues to poor roads and lack of enough vehicles to transport exam material.

Some centres in Nairobi County reported incidents of lack of co-ordination between the Kenya National Examinations Council's (Knec) contracted staff and security officials.

Ngara Girls High School supervisor Methusela Okari said they were kept waiting at the collection centre due to unpreparedness by the officers.

"There was poor co-ordination of security at the collection centre since security personnel did not know when the exams were starting and didn't know about the papers some candidates sat last week," said Mr Okari.

He said the school is working together with invigilators to curb cases of cheating. He said the school principal had provided them with a room where the exam papers would be safely stored.

UNAUTHORISED PEOPLE

"I am the only one with access to the room. Other people are not allowed into the school compound unless they have a serious issue with the administration and this helps keep unauthorised people at bay," he said.

In other centres visited by The Standard, invigilators frisked candidates to eliminate chances of cheating.

School principals of the schools visited expressed confidence in their candidates saying they were well prepared.

"Every stakeholder has done their best and everyone expects the girls to do well and make a breakthrough," said Ngara Girls Principal Assumpta Munyasya.

Kenya High School Principal Rose Saina said examinations started on time.

"We haven't experienced any difficulties today and we are happy that the papers arrived on time," she said.

Jamhuri High School Deputy Principal Mary Karanja commended invigilators for arriving on time and ensuring everything ran smoothly.

"We started very well. The boys were supposed to be here by 7am but they arrived very early and were well prepared.  The papers arrived on time, the invigilator and supervisors were also on time," she said.

Meanwhile, six inmates serving life sentences are among 18 prisoners sitting for exams in Naivasha. Hours to the exams, inmates at the Naivasha G K Prison said they were ready for the challenge.

The inmates said their teachers, who are incidentally fellow prisoners, had prepared them well.

According to the officer in charge of the prison Patrick Mwenda, there are 18 inmates sitting for this year's exams, an increase from 15 last year.

The officer said one of the inmates is on death row, six on life while the others are serving long sentences.

"The oldest inmate is 46 years old while the youngest is 20 and we are confident they shall perform well," he said.

LEARNING MATERIALS

Mwenda said lack of learning materials is the major challenge the inmates face, adding that the prison is yet to benefit from the free learning programme.

"Inmates rely on their colleagues to learn due to lack of trained teachers but they are ready for the exams," he said.

Mwenda noted that the prison introduced a programme where inmates who perform well in the exams are pardoned. He said the facility had over 1,300 inmates in their primary and secondary schools.

"We have come to learn that education has reformed many inmates and we are committed to this project," he said.

The prison Principal Boventure Mutari said this year's candidates were ready for the exams.

Mr Mutari, who is also an inmate serving a life sentence, said it is hard learning from prison but exuded confidence candidates will perform well.

Elsewhere, a senior education official in Kwale County said they lack enough vehicles to transport exam papers to remote areas.

Kwale Director of Education Jumaa Mwatenga said Matuga and Msambweni sub-counties need an extra six vehicles to ferry the examination papers to schools.

"We have a total of 78 secondary schools while those used as exam centres are 60 and the vehicles that we have at the moment are not enough," said Mr Mwatenga.

TOUGH PROCEDURES

He said said other departments are issuing tough procedures for their vehicles which the ministry cannot meet.

"We raised our grievances to various departments but what they are telling us cannot be adhered to. Some want us to purchase new tyres, fuel and even service them," he said.

Kwale County Commissioner Evans Achoki said there is enough security.