Smooth start to KCPE as state agencies combine efforts

Baringo South residents have said bandits struck Kapkosom village on Monday morning and torched several houses.

Residents are fleeing the area with their livestock to the safer Koimugul village, eight kilometres away.

The attempted attack happened as KCPE examinations started across the country.

Rift Valley regional commissioner, Maalim Mohamed said there was an attempted attack in the morning but no examination centre was affected.

He said the security team repulsed the bandits into the hilly areas of Baringo South.

"The attackers were repulsed before they could accomplish their mission, the situation on the ground is calm and day one of KCPE was smooth," Maalim said.

Education CS George Magoha said students in areas prone to insecurity like Baringo have been converged in one exam centre and will be safe.

He said the children will be fed and have a place to sleep in those schools.

Magoha spoke on Monday when he oversaw the opening of exam containers in Kakamega county and later visited Kakamega Primary School.

"We have availed helicopters and enough physical security, so candidates in those areas are doing exams," he said.

The CS said no student will miss exams because of insecurity or any other reason.

"Even those bandits are human beings and have blood. If they are bold enough, let them come out," he said.

The Ministry of Interior Affairs, ICT and Education are working together cohesively towards the administration of 2021 exams.

Interior CS Fred Matiang’i said KCPE examinations were going on as planned.

Matiang’i said he was satisfied with the examination process stating that there weren’t any reported hitches so far.

“We are working closely with our colleagues in the Ministry of Education,” Matiang’i said.

The CS addressed reporters at the Kithimani deputy county commissioner’s office where he officiated the opening of KNEC’s container at 6am.

Matiang'i also supervised the distribution of the examination in Yatta, Machakos county on Monday.

He said the government had made sufficient provisions to ensure that children and teachers are secure and safe.

Kenya National Examinations Council CEO David Njeng’ere said candidates should be true to themselves and resist the temptation to sneak in illegal material.

“It doesn’t help to carry a certificate that reflects grades that are not yours because it will not help you in your life,” Njengere said.

The CEO spoke on Monday at St Georges Primary School.

“We are assuring them that the exam is about the usual things they have been doing in school, so there’s no need to panic,” he said.

In Nairobi, Interior PS Karanja Kibicho officiated the opening of containers at the Westlands deputy county commissioner's office.

Kibicho said the multi-agency approach will ensure exams are conducted effectively.

"We will ensure that the system is flawless and that there is no chance for anyone to tamper with the exams," he said.

About 38,524 KCPE candidates are sitting their national exams in Homa Bay county.

Government officers including Homa Bay county commissioner Moses Lilan visited several schools on Monday morning.

He was accompanied by the county director of Education Eunice Khaemba in the distribution of the examination papers.

Lilan said the examination papers were distributed to 1,013 centers, adding that candidates began their morning exams without hitches.

He said preparations had been put in place to ensure the examination is administered well.

“We hope the integrity of the exercise will be maintained as per the rules,” Lilan said.

All examination supervisors and security personnel in the eight subcounties were briefed on examination integrity.

ICT CS Joe Mucheru was in Kajiado county opening containers that had KCPE papers.

Mucheru commended Kajiado county for having attained a gender balance of students sitting exams.

"It's been impressive to see that the numbers are almost at per which means parents and students are willing to learn," he said.

Mucheru said he was confident in the way activities were being run on the first day of KCPE.

The students who were taken through rehearsals on Friday started with Mathematics, English- language and Composition.

Science, Kiswahili and Insha will be administered on Tuesday while Social Studies will be done on Wednesday.

During rehearsals, school heads inspected materials to be used by students sitting the exams.

A spot check by the Star revealed that several measures have been put in place to curb exam malpractice.

For instance, no coloured geometrical sets will be allowed into the exam room.

Pupils who had this kind of set had to remove the materials and put them in a colourless sachet.

The sets should also be clear of any stickers including price and serial number.

This year the council registered 1,225,507 candidates in 28,316 KCPE examination centres as compared to 1,191,752 candidates in 28,467 centres in 2020.

This reflects an increase of 33,755 representing 2.75 per cent.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)