Security beefed up in Sondu as exams kick-off
Pupils at Ndiru primary school in Homa Bay town line up to be frisked by exam officials on October 30, 2023.
What you need to know:
- There's no cause for alarm, Sondu is now calm. We have made adequate security arrangements for Sondu and the surrounding area, said Kisumu County Commissioner Mr Hussein Allasow
- He said this was to ensure learners are safe during the examination period.
Security has been beefed up in some parts of Kisumu that are perceived to be hot spots for clashes such as Sondu as candidates from the region sat for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations. Sondu is a small town border town in Kenya's Kisumu County and Kericho County which has been marred by clashes in the recent.
Kisumu County Commissioner Mr Hussein Allasow said this was to ensure learners are safe during the examination period.
"There's no cause for alarm, Sondu is now calm. We have made adequate security arrangements for Sondu and the surrounding area," said Mr Allassow.
Meanwhile, delays marred the distribution of the examination materials at the Deputy County Commissioner's office in Kisumu.
The container was opened by 6 am, as examination managers and security officers gathered around.
By 7.30 am the distribution of the examination material for class eight and grade six pupils was still ongoing.
However, Mr Allassow defended the timing for the distribution saying the container had been opened in good time.
"So far the container was opened in time. All arrangements have been made including logistical security details," said Mr Allassow.
One KCPE candidate will be forced to sit exams while in the hospital in Ugunja sub-county.
Speaking to Nation on the day one of the national exams, Siaya County Director for Education Mr Leonard Kabaki said the candidate had been admitted and would be forced to sit exams there.
Meanwhile, all the exams left the collection center in Siaya by 6.45am.
A total of 33,461 candidates will sit for KPSEA; 17,078 boys and 16,383 girls.
Those who will sit the final KCPE are a total of 36,254 candidates in Siaya; 18,427 boys and 17,827 girls.
The statistics comprise public and private schools.
Siaya County Commissioner Mr Jim Njoka said all the centers got enough security personnel for the exercise.
In Kisii, the issuance of examination papers started at 6.00 am.
In Kisii Central Subcounty headquarters, the process was spearheaded by Deputy County Commissioner Wilberforce Kilonzo and the Sub-County Director of Education Silas Juma.
"We have put in place all that is needed. Candidates will have a good environment to do their examinations as we have provided enough security at each centre," Mr Kilonzo said.
About 39,154 learners will sit their KPSEA exams starting this morning while 44,221 others will do their last KCPE exams.
The total number of examination centres is 998.
By Wycliffe Nyaberi, Elizabeth Ojina and Kassim Adinasi
