By Norah Musega
33, 140 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates have commenced their national exams this morning across the country, an exercise that the Permanent Secretary for Basic Education noted to begun smoothly.
Dr. Julius Jwan who officiated the opening of exam container at Kisii Central said the county had registered an immense number of candidates and the ministry has equally availed adequate security personnel to help in monitoring of the exams to ensure the next three days remain smooth without any irregularities.
“We expect the exercise to run smoothly throughout. KCPE exams have never come with a lot of challenges and therefore we urge the candidates to remain focused during the exercise,” said Jwan.
Jwan noted that the county’s’ candidature is balanced as it had registered 16,953 boys and 16,187 girls sitting the KCPE examination.
He however noted that Kiongongo Primary School in in Kitutu Central had experienced a fire incident early this morning at 2:30am but the candidates are safe since at the time of the incident they were not in school and therefore this would not interfere with the exam exercise.
“I wish to ascertain exactly what happened at the institution and therefore we are heading there after this but we have been assured by the school administration that all the candidates are safe at the time of the incident there were no learners in school,” he noted.
The PS also told the press that the county had also registered one candidate who will write her exam from Kisii Level VI hospital bed after she gave birth yesterday at the facility through normal delivery and is in stable condition to write her examinations.
“The Ministry of Education is interested to ensure all learners who had been registered as 2022 KCPE candidates are able and available to seat for the national exams no matter the circumstances. We have also organized on how to avail exams to the candidate who is in hospital after child delivery,” added Jwan.
The Countys’ Director of Education Pius Ngoma however called on all exams officials charged with the mandate to supervise and monitor the exam exercise and materials to take their duties seriously.
Ngoma said that they will be ready and on standby to tackle any issues that may arise to enhance the smooth running of both the KCPE and KCSE exams.
He explained that the accident that caused fire at Kiongongo primary school had been caused by a gas explosion and that one classroom was destroyed.
“We wish to accord our children the best and for that reason we shall always be on standby to respond to any challenges that may arise during the exam period. I wish them all the best in their exams and encourage them to give their best towards this exercise,” noted Ngoma.
Kisii County Commissioner Allan Machari has however pledged to ensure no irregularity is registered in this year’s examinations, saying his officers participating in monitoring are well trained and have the best knowledge of what to do just like during the 2020 national exams.
