42 prisoners join KCSE candidates

Some 42 inmates were among KCSE candidates who on Tuesday sat the first papers of the national examination.

The inmates comprised 15 prisoners at Naivasha Prison, 15 at Kamiti Maximum and 12 at Shimo la Tewa.

Prisons spokesman Amos Misik said examination materials arrived on time at the three centres.

“Everything went well,” he said.

The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) said there were no disruptions.

Knec senior deputy secretary Edah Muiruri told the Nation that everything went according to plan.

“Candidates finished the first papers without a hitch,” she said.

There had been fears that there would be delays in areas currently experiencing heavy rains.

On Tuesday morning, the 413,177 candidates sat two papers, English Functional Skills and English Comprehension.

In Kirinyaga District, more girls than boys are sitting for the exam.

There were 1,236 girls compared to 1,112 boys.

District education officer D.N. Kariuki attributed this to the high number of boys dropping out.

“The rate at which boys drop out is higher,” he said at his Kerugoya office.

Mr Kariuki said boys cut short their studies to work as labourers in coffee, rice and tea farms.

The DEO also blamed the emphasis being placed on the girl child at the expense of the boy child.

“In every forum, people talk of girl child education and ignore the boy,” he said.

“An effort now needs to be made to rescue the boy child, whose life is being ruined,” he said.

At the Coast, the exam kicked off without a hitch.

The provincial director of education Tom Majani said schools that were feared might be affected by heavy rains in Msambweni and Kilifi districts received their papers on time.