The 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) started today across 28,248 exam centres at 8.30am with the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) administering the examination.
Security officials are closely monitoring the Rift Valley, according to Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha and Regional Commissioner Maalim Mohamed also confirmed that adequate security arrangements had been put in place to ensure the safety of candidates in troubled areas, particularly the violative Kerio Valley.
Mohammed expressed dismay that robbers were recruiting young children, particularly in Baringo, even as he warned politicians who were fomenting turmoil.
“It is unfortunate that young children are used as cattle rustlers instead of being in school, something that should not be encouraged, during this era,” Mohamed said.
Some areas of the Rift Valley have experienced banditry attacks with the latest happening on Saturday night in Baringo County where seven people were killed.
Leaders in Isiolo North have also called for security reinforcement following the killing of eleven people in two days.
Attacks in the volatile Samburu County have caused panic in the area, which has over 1,000 candidates. County Commissioner Henry Wafula said they have finalised security preparations and deployed adequate police officers to guard the containers where examination materials are stored.
Magoha supervised the opening of sealed examination containers in Kakamega before he oversaw the distribution of exam materials to centers in the region.
He assured materials had been successfully distributed to 1,225,507 candidates as exam starts countrywide.
His Interior counterpart Fred Matiangi supervised the exercise in Machakos while ICT’s Joe Mucheru was in Kajiado.
In Uasin Gishu, Education Chief Administrative Secretary Sarah Ruto coordinated the exercise, while in Kisii, Nairobi, and Nyeri, Principal Secretaries Julius Jwan (Education), Karanja Kibicho (Interior), and Fatuma Chege (CBC) were in charge of distribution.
KNEC Chairperson John Osanti, CEO David Njengere, and CEO Ocheing’ Ong’ondo of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) were in Meri, Nairobi (Lang’ata), and Kisumu Central, respectively.
The examination materials are stored in 491 distribution centres that are under 24-hour armed guard.
Sub-county directors of education and deputy county commissioners are the custodians of the security locks. They will open the containers at 6.30am and distribute the examinations materials.