A total of 52,453 candidates, drawn from the eight sub-counties in Nyeri, will be sitting for this year’s national exams. A Summary Report from the County Director of Education also shows that out of this figure, 15,857 candidates will be sitting for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), and another 16,740 will be writing the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE). The latter will comprise the last batch of candidates to sit for the KCPE under the 8-4-4 education system, which is being replaced by the 2-6-3-3-3 model. On the other hand, a total of 19,856 form four candidates, will start writing their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) theory papers on November 6th. Nyeri County Director of Education, Jane Njogu, told KNA that all necessary preparations have already been finalised in readiness for the kick-off of the three papers. She said the Ministry of Education has partnered with National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO), National Police Service personnel, and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to facilitate the smooth administration of the exams. She also stated that both KCPE candidates and their KPSEA counterparts will have their rehearsals on Friday ahead of their papers beginning on Monday next week. ‘Officers were sent from Nairobi to come and brief the people on the ground, which included principles, supervisors, and invigilators. So, every supervisor has been briefed, and all the people that needed to be briefed have been briefed. We have had security meetings, even with the County Commissioner (Pius Murugu), and we have agreed on how we will be handling the exams when they start,’ she said. Notably about this year’s exams is that, while all the 771 KCPE and KCSE examination centres will each be monitored by contractual supervisors and invigilators, those sitting for KPSEA will be supervised by their respective subject teachers. Ms. Njogu similarly said that each of the eight sub-counties has been supplied with a container as a distribution point, which is being manned by the respective Sub-county Director of Education and Deputy County Commissioners. There will also be another batch of 868 candidates who will be sitting for KCPE and KCSE papers as private candidates in 254 examination centres. ‘The difference between KCPE and KPSEA is that the invigilator in the latter is the subject teacher, while KCPE candidates will have contractual invigilators and supervisors. We have eight sub counties and every sub county has an examination distribution centre that we refer to as a container, managed by a Deputy County Commissioner and Sub-County Director of Education. There is a change this time because we have been opening distribution centres for KCSE at 6 a.m., but this time around we shall be opening at 7 a.m., while the one for KCPE will be opened at 6 a.m.,’ she pointed out. On whether the county has received reports of any pregnant candidates, the education official said they were yet to receive such a report. She nevertheless clarified that in the event such a situation arises, the Ministry is working in collaboration with the County Government Health Department to ensure such an eventuality is taken care of. ‘So far, I have not heard of any, and I have realised that this is not a major problem in Nyeri as such. But should it (pregnancy) come, we are working with the county government, and I think we shall be able to handle that,’ she has explained. The government has already secured the help of 1,700 officers, including security officers, to oversee the month-long exercise.
Source: Kenya News Agency