NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 22 – The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination officially kicked off on Monday, with 1.1 million candidates sitting for the Kenya National Examination Council administered assessments.
The exams postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19 triggered closure of schools and the Ministry of Education will be concluded on Thursday.
The commencement of the exams was supervised a Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha in Kiambu County, with the Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia overseeing the same in Kisumu County.
Kenya National Examination Council Chairman John Onsati supervised the exercise in Mombasa County, while KNEC CEO Nancy Karogo led the exercise in Nairobi County.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan, who oversaw the exercise in Kisii, urged strict conformity to coronavirus containment measures even as he exuded confidence on a smooth exercise.
“Ensure that students wear masks properly because we are operating under difficult circumstances,” he said.
Jwan noted that Kisii, Nyamira, Migori and Homa bay counties have been notorious for exam cheating in the past and urged for credible examinations from the centre managers in the region.
Nyeri County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara while overseeing exam distribution in the region said the learners will have to remove their masks for inspection before they begin the examinations.
He said this is after intelligence reports indicated that some students plan to write material they will use in the exam room on their face masks.
“We are going to be very keen especially students who will be seen frequently removing their masks we will be checking to ensure that no cheating takes place,” he said.
In Kitui, the exercise was led by County Commissioner John Ondego who said everything including security was in place to ensure seamless exams.
Kitui has 29 exam containers 1,330 exam centers and 42,074 students sitting for the KCPE exams.
In Makueni County Commissioner Mohamed Maalim launched the distribution of the exam materials in Wote town.
Makueni County has 12 exam containers.
