Military airlift 28 KPSEA candidates surrounding terror prone Boni Forest, Lamu County
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops have airlifted 28 Grade Six candidates from terror-prone Boni Forest in Lamu County Faza Secondary, where they will be sitting their Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) exams.
Though KDF has significantly degraded the threat of terrorist attacks in the area, the region is yet to be fully pacified from Al-Shabaab terrorists.
The pupils are from the five Boni Forest primary schools of Basuba, Milimani, Mangai, Mararani, and Kiangwe.
Speaking when he led security and education officials in opening the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and KPSEA exam container at the Deputy County Commissioner’s office in Lamu Old Town, Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia said the necessary security measures have been put in place to ensure smooth administration of exams.
“All places in Lamu, including those that previously witnessed insecurity incidents from Al-Shabaab like Boni Forest and Kiunga on the Kenya-Somalia border are well secured, so that candidates can do the exams uninterrupted. We have also coordinated with the KDF and other security units in Boni Forest and airlifted 28 Grade 6 learners from there to Faza secondary together with eight teachers. They will stay in Faza until they complete their exams.” The security boss said.
Lamu County Education Director Joshua Kaaga said a total of 3,660 candidates were taking the KCPE examination in Lamu this year where 1,879 are boys while 1,781 are girls.
Those sitting for KPSEA examination are 3,873 learners, where 2,025 are boys while 1,848 are girls.
The county has 93 KCPE examination centres and 98 KPSEA centres.
In the past, the militants known for targeting soft targets have attacked schools notably the Garissa University attack that left 148 students dead.
And in Garissa County, two choppers have been deployed in Garissa to distribute KCPE and KPSEA papers in four sub counties due to impassable roads accessioned by floods.
County commissioner Boaz Cherutich said the choppers will be used to deliver the examination papers to security-prone sub counties bordering Somalia of Balambala, Liboi, Fafi, Hulugho and Bodhai.
Cherutich however assured the centre managers, supervisors and candidates that all the 204 KCPE and 260 KPSEA examination centres are secured during the examination period.
He spoke after witnessing the opening of the examination container.
