Pregnant KCSE candidates assured of completing exam
Pregnant KCSE candidates assured of completing 2022 exam.
The 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination started yesterday, with 884,263 candidates registered.
At Makanyanga Secondary School in Tharaka Nithi County, a student in labour was taken to
Komarock Hospital. Igambang’ombe Deputy County Commissioner Julius Too said the girl did her papers in hospital.
Six candidates sat their tests at the maternity wing of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Uasin Gishu County.
Speaking to journalists in Ainabkoi after opening the exam papers container, Deputy County Commissioner Charles Laboso said it is the policy of the government to ensure every candidate sits the test.
The candidates are from Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia and West Pokot counties.
“Measures have been put in place to ensure that the candidates sit for exams as planned without interference,” said Mr Laboso.
Narok County Commissioner Isaac Masinde said 108 girls in the region are writing their papers while pregnant.
Some 140 girls sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations while pregnant in Narok.
Three expectant girls in Nyeri were among the 19,472 KCSE candidates sitting the tests.
While distributing papers to principals yesterday, County Education chief Sabina Aroni said test officials have been shown how to handle the three if they give birth.
“We have put measures in place to ensure they are comfortable,” she said.
Teachers Service Commissioner CEO Nancy Macharia was in Mombasa. She said plans to hire 30,000 teachers are in place ahead of the rollout of junior secondary school.
Mrs Macharia said the teachers would help in reducing shortages.
“There is a deficit of 116,000 teachers. We have been hiring 5,000 teachers every year so the 30,000 will go a long way to reduce the deficit,” said Ms Macharia.
Other government officials present talked tough against examination cheating and other malpractices.
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development Chief Executive Charles Ong’ondo , was in Vihiga County.
He said it would be an offence to have an unauthorised mobile phone or other communication devices at an examination centre.
Prof Ong’ondo also warned against strangers accessing the schools and urged teachers whose services are not needed to stay away.
Isiolo County Director of Education James Nyaga said students should not be allowed to remain in toilets for inordinately long periods.
“Candidates remaining in toilets for long periods is not allowed unless the candidate is sick. This is a precautionary measure aimed at ensuring credible examinations,” Mr Nyaga said during opening the container outside the County Commissioner’s office in Isiolo town.
The directive is meant to prevent a recurrence of malpractices at Kinna Secondary in Garbatulla sub-county in March where some examination officers reportedly aided candidates to cheat.
Reporting by Winnie Atieno, Derick Luvega, Alex Njeru, Waweru Wairimu, Robert Kiplagat, Titus Ominde, Angeline Ochieng, Wycliffe Nyaberi and Mercy Mwende
