Over 960,000 candidates are poised to commence their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations starting Tuesday.
This year, the first week will feature subjects such as French, German, Sign Language, Arabic, Music, and Home Science across 10,755 examination centers nationwide.
At Kereri Girls High School in Kisii, preparations are in place for the initial group of over 800 candidates, with school officials confident that students have been well-prepared.
However, education stakeholders have voiced concerns about the deteriorating road conditions, which may complicate the timely transportation of examination materials.
“The collapse of the bridge in Nyamache could disrupt the collection of exam papers, and it has been over a year since it was supposed to be reconstructed,” stated Dr. Samuel Siringi, chair of the Bobasi Professionals.
In Murang’a County, preparations for the more than 31,000 candidates are complete, with county director of education Ann Kiilu assuring that unauthorized access to exam centers will be strictly controlled.
Speaking during a prayer event at Kiangunyi Girls High School, she urged parents to support their children with prayers for a successful examination period.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Collins Oyuu emphasized the importance of fairness in invigilation.
“We must approach this responsibility with compassion, understanding the challenges our students have faced in striving for their future,” he remarked.
Given recent security concerns, particularly in areas prone to violence, KNUT has called on the government to enhance security measures to ensure the safety of both teachers and students during the exams.
“It’s crucial that we maintain a secure environment so that these exams can proceed without incident,” Oyuu added.
On October 4, the Ministry of Education introduced new guidelines for this year’s assessments.
Key changes include rotating center supervisors every week, securing mobile phones away from exam rooms, and providing personalized question papers for candidates.
The KCSE examinations will run concurrently with the KPSEA assessments, starting on October 28, with over a million candidates expected to participate.
