By Hilton Mwabili
Coast region had the highest cases of candidates who were 19 years and above in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) according to the Ministry of Education.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha said the region had a total of 6,113 candidates who were aged above 19 years, with two counties of Kwale and Kilifi featuring in the category of high number of overage candidates.
According to Magoha, Kilifi County had the highest number nationally, with 3,672 who were aged above 19 years in last year’s KCPE.
Kwale County on the other hand had 2,441 candidates also aged above 19.
Other counties were Turkana, Garissa and Busia, according to the CS.
“The counties which had the highest cases of candidates who were 19 years and above were Turkana (3,062), Garissa (1,680), Kwale (2,441); Kilifi (3,672), and Busia (1,692),” stated Magoha yesterday.
In the recent years there have been concerns about candidates with superior age especially amongst primary school pupils in the Coast region.
In 2019 education officials in the region raised similar concerns saying that mature students are difficult to control especially in a primary school environment, since they feel they have a freedom to make their own decisions without interference.
