A total of 263,241 candidates across the coastal region are sitting their 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) starting today.
Out of the total number, 125,296 candidates will be sitting for the KCPE while 137,945 KPSEA exams.
In Mombasa, 24,000 candidates are expected to sit for their KCPE and 25,000 for KPSEA.
The coast region has 53 examination containers serving 2,019 KCPE centers and 2,472 KPSEA centers.
Speaking during the distribution of examination papers on Monday morning, regional director of Education Luka Kangogo assured learners and parents that there are elaborate plans in place for all learners to sit for the exams on time.
Despite the national examinations beginning smoothly in the Coast region, there has been a concern of insecurity from Al Shabaab insurgents in Lamu county, something which has created fear and worry among parents and teachers.
However, Kangogo said that the security forces have restored calm in the restive parts of Lamu and that they do not expect any insecurity issue.
“Lamu is peaceful, in the last two or three weeks the areas have been conducive and we do not expect any insecurity issue now that we have not had any incident in the recent past,” he said.
He said that in case of any unforeseen challenge, the examination centres will be moved to safer areas for the timely administration of all exams.
With the predictions of the Elnino rains which might also be a hindrance to the national exam process, Kangogo said that the region is set and well prepared.
“Coast region is set, we are well prepared for these exams irrespective of the rain that is pouring. We are not in any way worried about what we have done,”
“We are looking forward as a region to have well-coordinated management and administration of this year’s national exams,” he said.
He said that they do not anticipate abnormal rains that will affect examinations.
In case of any disruption as a result of rains during the examination process, he said that they will request for choppers from the Ministry of Education headquarters to airlift examination papers in areas that will not be accessible by road.
Ministry of Education is working closely with the Ministry of Interior to ensure that government vehicles from both the national and county governments have been assigned to ferry exams in all the centers.
Mombasa County Director of Education James Gachungi called upon all the examination officials to ensure that they perform their roles diligently.
Mombasa county Commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa urged the examination administrators to dedicate their efforts to the exams by uphold integrity for the exams to be incident-free.
The examinations officials and security officers were urged to dedicate their efforts and uphold integrity for the examinations to be incident free.
