Contingent Of GSU Officers Surround School as KCPE, KPSEA Exams Begin in Insecurity Prone Areas
Candidates from Kapindasum Primary School in Baringo County are currently taking the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) with a high level of security in place.
As the national examination commenced on Monday, a team of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers enclosed the school premises, both inside and out, leaving nothing to chance. They employed a drone to surveil the hills and surrounding bushes while additional officers meticulously searched the nearby areas.
Exam papers were transported to the school in a police APC vehicle, and another APC was stationed at the school’s entrance.
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When the vehicle arrived, the candidates celebrated with songs and dance. The students sang a triumphant song that expressed the challenges they have faced, particularly because the school had been closed for over three years since 2019.
It only reopened in February 2023, following a presidential directive to reopen all schools that had been closed due to insecurity.
However, just last week on Tuesday, a daring bandit attack alarmed the students.
The bandits carried out an audacious assault on the school and the nearby GSU camp. This attack continued for over six hours, prompting the security team’s intervention today with the deployment of the KDF.
According to Baringo County Commissioner Sangolo Kutwa, who visited the school along with other members of the security team, all examination centers have two police officers stationed at them. However, schools located in areas prone to insecurity receive extra security measures to ensure that no risks are taken.
Kapindasum Primary School currently has 198 KCPE candidates, and Baringo County has a total of 17,000 KCPE candidates.
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LAMU
With great anticipation and determination, over 8,000 students in Lamu County have commenced their national examinations, which include the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) exams.
Lamu County Commissioner, Luis Rono, expressed contentment with the successful distribution of examination materials across the county, including the border town of Kiunga in the Boni Forest.
During the exam’s commencement, Rono reassured teachers and candidates about their safety within the school premises. He also issued a stern warning to anyone contemplating cheating in the examinations, emphasizing that they would face appropriate consequences.
”We have delivered the examinations to all centers, and I want to assure you of your safety during this period. Those who think they can cheat or assist in cheating, be forewarned, as the law will take its course,” stated Rono.
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At Hindi Primary School, the designated center for KPSEA and KCPE examinations, the number of candidates was slightly lower than expected. Out of the 103 students who registered earlier this year, only 100 appeared for the exams.
The school’s headteacher, Ms. Malika Kofa, attributed this to cases of early pregnancies and parental neglect, which led to some students missing the exams. Additionally, one girl scheduled to take the KPSEA examination did not show up due to her family relocating to another part of the country.
”I have three KCPE candidates who did not show up, and one KPSEA candidate. Some students’ families have relocated, while others are now young mothers, and this is one of the major challenges here,” Ms. Kofa explained.
A few kilometers away, at Mokowe Arid Zone, the only boarding primary school in the county, three schools – Bargoni Primary, Bodhei Primary, and Boraimani Primary School – were accommodated for the final examinations.
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Bargoni Primary relocated its candidates due to concerns about the El Niño rains, which posed a risk to the road between Hindi and Bargoni. Bodhei Primary had a low number of students, making it unsuitable as an examination center. Similarly, Boraimani Primary School faced similar challenges.
”We have accommodated three schools here for both KCPE and KPSEA examinations due to various reasons that the security committee and other agencies deemed suitable for them to be hosted here,” noted Mzee Joseph, Head Teacher of Mokowe Arid Zone.
Authorities took this measure to safeguard her and prevent her from disappearing, as she had previously done so twice. They arrived at this decision after apprehending the student’s mother, who was under suspicion of assisting in her disappearance.
”We have one candidate who will sit for her exams in police custody because we want to prevent her from disappearing again. She had gone missing twice, and allowing her to take the examination at school might provide an opportunity for her to vanish once more,” Rono explained.
Lamu County Commander, William Samoe, urged all security officers involved in the examination process to remain vigilant and refrain from using their mobile phones, as distractions could compromise the security of the exams. He emphasized that security has been significantly reinforced, and no incidents have been reported thus far.
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”I have briefed my officers, and we have learned from past mistakes. I assure you that everything will proceed as planned,” reassured William Samoe, the Lamu County Commander.
As Lamu County embarks on these national examinations, students, teachers, and authorities confront unique challenges and circumstances.
Nonetheless, with heightened security measures in place and the determination of all parties involved, we hope to conduct these exams smoothly, providing students with a fair opportunity to showcase their abilities and achieve their academic aspirations.
Coastal Region
A combined total of 263,241 candidates from the coastal region are commencing their 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) exams today.
Out of this figure, 125,296 candidates will be taking the KCPE, while 137,945 are enrolled for the KPSEA.
In Mombasa, the numbers stand at 24,000 for KCPE and 25,000 for KPSEA candidates.
Across the coast region, there are 53 examination storage units that cater to 2,019 KCPE centers and 2,472 KPSEA centers.
During the distribution of examination materials on Monday morning, Luka Kangogo, the Regional Director of Education, provided reassurance to both students and parents, emphasizing the existence of comprehensive plans to ensure timely and smooth exam administration for all learners.
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Though the national examinations have kicked off seamlessly in the coastal region, concerns have arisen regarding security due to the presence of Al Shabaab insurgents in Lamu county, causing anxiety among parents and educators. Nevertheless, Kangogo affirmed that security forces have reestablished peace in the previously volatile areas of Lamu, and they do not anticipate any security issues.
Kangogo stated, “Lamu is now peaceful, with the areas being stable in the last two or three weeks. We do not expect any security issues, given that there have been no recent incidents.”
He stated that examination centers would be relocated to safer locations in case of any unexpected challenges to ensure the prompt administration of all exams.
Confirming the region’s full preparedness, Kangogo addressed the predictions of El Niño rains that could potentially disrupt the national exam process.
He stated, “The Coast region is well-prepared, and we are not concerned about the rainfall. We are looking forward to a well-coordinated management and administration of this year’s national exams.”
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Kangogo also noted that they do not anticipate abnormal rains that would affect the exams. However, if rains do disrupt the examination process, they will request helicopters from the Ministry of Education headquarters to transport examination materials to areas that are inaccessible by road.
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Interior are working closely together to assign government vehicles from both national and county governments for the transportation of exams to all the centers.
James Gachungi, the Mombasa County Director of Education, called upon all examination officials to carry out their duties diligently.
Mombasa County Commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa urged examination administrators to uphold integrity in their roles to ensure that the exams are incident-free.
Encouragement was given to examination officials and security personnel to commit their efforts and uphold the highest standards of integrity in order to guarantee a smooth examination process.
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Contingent Of GSU Officers Surround School as KCPE, KPSEA Exams Begin in Insecurity Prone Areas
