All systems go as KCSE exams kick off

The 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) kicks off Monday across the country.

A total of 1,225,507 candidates are registered to sit for the exam in 28,316 examination centres across the country.

Candidates will write their Mathematics paper in the morning, and English grammar in the afternoon.

The exam will end with social studies and Religious education papers on Wednesday.

Rehearsals were done on Friday, with Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha assuring the country that the integrity of the exam is intact.

Prof Magoha also assured that elaborate plans had been made to ensure the exam is conducted in a safe environment in areas experiencing security challenges.

He said the government is ready to deliver exams with over 200,000 teachers and more than 45,000 security agents deployed to various exam centres across the country.

Education Cabinet Secretary says the government is ready to deliver exams, over 200 thousand teachers and more than 45 thousand security agents will be at the exam centres during the exam period @ExamsCouncil #EducationReforms. pic.twitter.com/hk59VtJVp7

— EduMinKenya (@EduMinKenya) March 5, 2022

Meanwhile, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Mohammed Maalim has promised parents and candidates of areas affected with insecurity that no candidate will miss the national examinations due to the vice.

Speaking during a peace dialogue meeting in Loruk area of Baringo County, Maalim assured parents that security will be provided at the examination centres to allow the candidates to do their exams peacefully.

County commissioner Abdirsack Jaldesa confirmed that security measures had been put in place to ensure that candidates complete their examinations in peace.

He added that other measures include provision of meals and accommodation of day scholars in some examination centres so as to reduce unnecessary movements during examinations.

Maalim, who regretted that children had been recruited by bandits tasked chiefs with ensuring that all children within their locations go back to school. The administrator warned that chiefs who fail to ensure children go to school will be sacked.

He also urged parents to cooperate with local authorities by taking children to school and that stern action will be taken against them if a child is not enlisted in a school.