Chopper to airlift exams to inaccessible areas at the Coast – State

A chopper will be used to airlift examination materials to inaccessible areas at the Coast, the government has said.

Sub-County directors of education have been issued with a special code that they can call if some examination centres are not accessible due to rains.

PLAN B

At least 26 sub-Counties in the region have received examination materials from the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) ahead of Tuesday’s national examination for primary schools.

“We are not anticipating anything bad but in case of any hitches we can call that number and a chopper can come to ferry the examination materials to inaccessible areas,” said Kisauni sub-County director of education Mohammed Sagara.

In Mombasa, Mr Ali Farah from Knec headquarters in Nairobi is leading a special examination security unit in dispatching the materials to various sub-Counties.

On Monday, the Nation found Mr Farah leading a contingent of armed Administration Police officers from Nairobi deployed to dispatch the materials in Changamwe and Kisauni sub -Counties.

“The boxes are intact and we have not encountered any problems. We have also received a box for instructions of KCSE practical and for the candidates with disabilities,” said Mr Sagara.

GUARDED

He said the materials have been locked in the container with full security. It is guarded by five police officers day and night.

“We have arranged the security to escort the papers to the schools and back and all the transportation logistics. 1,500 candidates in 146 schools in Kisauni will seat for the examination,” he said.

Meanwhile, candidates sitting for this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam will start enjoying free lunch.

Many politicians at the Coast have been providing food to candidates sitting for their end of primary education, however, government officials led by Coast regional coordinator Nelson Marwa banned the donations in 2016.

DEFIED

According to Marwa, food donated by politicians “would interfere with examination and corrupt the minds of the candidates.’’

But some politicians have been defying the order.

In 2014, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho started a food programme for all primary school candidates in the county. He has also been giving milk to all public school pupils from kindergarten to standard four. 

The tradition started by the county government has gained popularity among pupils and their parents in Mombasa.

FREE LUNCH

County communication director Richard Chacha said he will confirm later whether this year the candidates will be given food.

First time MP Mohammed Ali (Nyali) and his Kisauni counterpart Ali Mbogo are among politicians who have announced plans for free lunch programmes for pupils in their constituencies.

“I will visit all the 14 public primary schools in Kisauni Constituency to disburse the lunch allocations to all the schools to cater for the lunch programme for our KCPE exam candidates who are set to start their national examination,” said Mr Mbogo on his Facebook page.