The 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) started this morning with 1,225,693 candidates expected to undertake the exams.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) said this represents a 2.86 per cent increase from last year's KCPE candidate population registered for the national test.
This means that 34,085 more candidates are sitting this year's KCPE compared to last year.
The examination will take place in 28,248 exam centres across the country and be supervised by 242,406 teachers assigned by the Teachers Service Commission.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha supervised the opening of sealed examination containers and oversaw the distribution of exam materials in Kakamega County.
His Interior counterpart Fred Matiangi also supervised the exercise in Machakos County while ICT CS Joe Mucheru did the same in Kajiado County.
Education Chief Administrative Secretary Sarah Ruto oversaw the exercise in Uasin Gishu while Principals Secretaries Julius Jwan (Education), Karanja Kibicho (Interior) and Fatuma Chege (CBC) oversaw distribution in Kisii, Nairobi and Nyeri respectively.
KNEC chairman John Osanti, CEO David Njengere and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) CEO Ocheing’ Ong’ondo were in Meri, Nairobi (Lang’ata) and Kisumu Central respectively.
The Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Maalim Mohamed assured adequate security of candidates in disturbed areas like Kerio Valley and parts of Baringo County.