Rain, poor roads and insecurity hamper timely delivery of exams in North Eastern Kenya
Shanta Abaq Secondary School Principal Hassan Muhumed Ahmed (in white T-shirt) on his way to deliver KCSE exams to his school from Modogashe. He says they have to endure harsh conditions with the police vehicle getting stuck in the mud following heavy rains. The road network in most parts of North Eastern is poor. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- On Tuesday, examination materials reached Galmagala Secondary School at midday.
- This was after suspected Al-Shabaab ambushed a KDF convoy who were on their way to Hulugho resulting to a heavy fire exchange.
- On Thursday the vehicle carrying examination materials for the school got stuck in the mud after heavy rains fell the previous night.
- Residents had to volunteer to push the vehicle out of the mud.
Insecurity as a result of terror threats, rainfall in parts of North Eastern Kenya and poor road networks have been cited as the biggest challenges in delivering national examinations on time.
School principals who spoke to Nation.co.ke have told of their frustrations while delivering exam materials and returning them for safe keeping due to the poor road network.
On Tuesday, examination materials reached Galmagala Secondary School at midday after attackers suspected to members of Al-Shabaab ambushed a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) convoy who were on their way to the border town of Hulugho resulting to a heavy fire exchange.
The KDF forces started an operation to flush out the attackers and this caused a delay in delivering the exams.
The attackers reportedly destroyed a Safaricom communication mast in Hulugho Sub-County in Garissa, disrupting telephone communication.
North Eastern Regional Education Coordinator Adhan Sheikh confirmed that the examination reached the Galmagala School at midday on Tuesday.
TORMENTING EXPERIENCE
Hassan Muhumed Ahmed, the principal of Shanta Abaq Secondary School told the Nation that it has been a tormenting experience since the start of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations as they are forced to cover over 160 kilometres to pick and return the exam materials from Modogashe.
“Because of the rain and poor road network we are forced to go up to Habaswein in Wajir County and then return to Shanta Abaq to deliver examinations to the school. The exams are delayed for hours,” said Mr Ahmed.
“It is a distressing experience delivering exams on this end. Keeping exam materials [at sub-county headquarters] can work effectively in other parts of the country but it is not possible here because of poor road network coupled with the ongoing rainfall,” Mr Ahmed said.
Sankuri Secondary School Principal Ibrahim Abdullahi is facing a similar predicament as he is forced to take examination materials from Balambala Sub-County headquarters, about 12 kilometres from the school.
EXAM VEHICLE STUCK IN MUD
On Wednesday the vehicle carrying examination materials for the school got stuck in the mud after heavy rains fell the previous night, and reached the school at 11.30am instead of the scheduled time of 8.00am.
Residents had to volunteer to push the vehicle out of the mud.
“I sleep in Balambala every night so as to have exams delivered on time but because of poor road network the exams are delayed every morning.
“Interestingly, Garissa is only 20 kilometres from the school. It would have been [better] if the container is kept in Garissa Town,” said the school administrator.
Candidates writing their examinations at Abaqkore Secondary School in Wajir South had to scamper for safety on Tuesday morning after armed gunmen stormed the institution and opened fire.
