Girl stabbed, several sit papers in hospitals as KCPE kicks off

A candidate was stabbed in the head, another was arrested for impersonation while four girls gave birth on the first day of Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination, which ends tomorrow.

Several candidates also did not turn up for various reasons while others failed to do the exam because they were not registered.

KNIFE ATTACK

The exercise saw the involvement of more than 10 cabinet secretaries, several principal secretaries and heads of state agencies in the Ministry of Education.

In Tharaka Nithi County, a girl at Iruri Primary School was attacked with a knife by an alleged boyfriend on her way to school.

Maara OCPD Johnstone Kabusia said the girl was given first-aid before sitting the Mathematics paper.

IMPERSONATION

At Voroni Primary School in Kwale County, a candidate gave birth, and in Endebess, a girl was arrested for impersonating a candidate.

The impersonator revealed that she was doing so under the instructions of the school. She and the director of the school and the headteacher are in custody.

"It is unfortunate that the school director and the headteacher could do such a thing to their own pupil," said the Endebess sub-county deputy commissioner, Mr Peter Maina.

DEFILED

In Nakuru, a candidate who was defiled by her teacher at the weekend in Njoro, wrote her examination three days after the incident.

In Nyandarua, a candidate sat her examination hours after she delivered a bouncing baby girl while in Homa Bay, two candidates sat the exam in two different hospitals after giving birth.

Homa Bay County education director, Ms Margaret Mwandale, said the candidates will have to sit the remaining papers from the hospital.

CLASHES

“The candidates are still weak, they have difficulties in movement. They will have to do the other papers from the hospital,” she said.

Rift Valley regional coordinator Mongo Chimwaga assured parents and candidates that security was tight especially in areas that were affected by clashes recently in Narok and Nakuru counties.

In Nakuru, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development director Julius Jwan witnessed the opening of the examination container.

REGULATIONS

A candidate at Keringet Primary School wrote the test at Nakuru Level Five Hospital where he is admitted.

In Naivasha sub-county, a centre manager was withdrawn after flouting Knec’s regulations.

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) chief executive Nancy Macharia said the manager left the distribution centre without being accompanied by the assigned security officers.

HEAVY RAINS

At Michinda Boarding Primary School in Elburgon, Nakuru County, the examination started late as the vehicle carrying the papers arrived 15 minutes past 8 am.

In Narok, county commissioner George Natembeya said the government has put in place alternative means of transport, including tractors, to ferry papers to centres in areas that are experiencing heavy rains such as Olpusimoru and Olokurto in Narok North Sub-County.

MALPRACTICES

Lands Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney hailed Knec for coordinating the exercise well, which saw no ugly incidents being reported.

“The idea of this monitoring exercise is to ensure that the papers get to the centres on time and the place is properly secured,” said Ms Karoney, who witnessed the start of the exam at Kapsisiywa Primary School in Nandi County. In Turkana County, Petroleum and Mining Cabinet Secretary John Munyes oversaw distribution of the exam materials and warned schools against engaging in examination malpractices.

DISTRIBUTION

In Trans Nzoia County, eight candidates resurfaced for the exam at Trans Nzoia Primary School after quitting school early this year immediately after registration.

The school’s headteacher, Malea Agona, said that among the candidates six of them who were boys went into informal employment as boda boda riders while two girls got married.

Irrigation PS Fred Segor and the county security team led by county commissioner Henry Wafula oversaw the opening of one of the examination containers and distribution of papers at the county commissioner’s office in Kabarnet.

EXPOSURE

In Taita-Taveta County, one candidate sat her exam at Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi.

The Marungu Primary School candidate was admitted last week suffering from anaemia.

In Mombasa, Knec's George Magoha asked invigilators and police officers to be on high alert on early exposure of exam materials.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Speaking at Uhuru na Kazi offices in Mombasa where he witnessed the opening of the examination container, Prof Magoha asked officials to be on the lookout for any signs of early exposure of the exam.

In Lamu, journalists were barred from taking photos as the KCPE exam containers were being opened.

County director of education William Micheni, who presided over the opening, said that the area is a security zone.

COMPROMISED

In Nyandarua, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said he had been impressed by the near 100 per cent turnout of candidates.

In Kakamega, Education PS Bellio Kipsang assured Kenyans that adequate security measures had been put in place to ensure the integrity of the examination is not compromised.

“We have the responsibility to manage our children and ensure they are better people in their future lives when we hand over the baton,” the PS said at Kakamega Primary School during the beginning of the KCPE exam.

KIDNEY PROBLEM

Meanwhile, a 75-year-old remandee joined thousands of other candidates across the country to sit the examination.

Mr James Owuor Obande from Homa Bay County is serving a two-year sentence at Kisii Prison. In Migori, a candidate sat the exam at the Eldoret Teaching and Referral Hospital ward where he had been rushed with a kidney problem.

DISRUPTED

Another candidate from Walodeya Primary in Sabatia, Vihiga County, is sitting the examination at the county referral hospital in Mbale after he was taken ill.

Heavy rains and flash floods that have been wreaking havoc in parts of Wajir County in the last few days disrupted transportation of papers to some schools.

HELICOPTER

In Wajir South, three schools could not be accessed by road prompting Knec to dispatch a chopper to transport the exam to the schools.

In Tharaka constituency, Sammy Mugwimi, a Class Eight pupil at Premiere Junior Academy, will have to wait for another year to sit KCPE because he was not registered.

In Meru, Interior PS Karanja Kibicho emphasised the need for instilling honesty among Kenyans to reduce the cost of “preventing cheating” in national examinations.

CREDIBLE

In Chuka, Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia reiterated the government’s commitment to curbing examination malpractices.

Speaking at Moi Primary School in Nairobi after the candidates sat the English composition paper, Ms Amina Mohamed said this year’s exams are expected to be credible.

Reporting by Alex Njeru, Elizabeth Ojina, Ouma Wanzala, Faith Nyamai, Mohamed Ahmed, Fadhili Fredrick, Lucy Mkanyika, Kalume Kazungu, Charles Wanyoro, David Muchui, Alex Njeru, Nicholas Komu Bruhan Makong, Benson Amadala, Magati Obebo, Elizabeth Ojina, Victor Raballa, Vitalis Kimutai, Derrick Luvega, Elisha Otieno, Eric Matara, George Sayagie, Macharia Mwangi, John Njoroge, Steve Njuguna, Wycliff Kipsang’, Sammy Lutta, Gerald Bwisa, Tom Matoke, Kitavi Mutua, Gerald Bwisa and Florah Koech.