Top examinations and security chiefs will meet on Monday for the last joint briefing ahead of KCPE and KCSE exams.
Saturday Standard has established that the national examination papers may have arrived given that it is only two weeks to the start of the tests.
Sources at the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) familiar with the process declined to comment on the question papers. “I cannot confirm or deny whether they are here or not because that is a security issue that cannot be discussed in the media,” said the official. It however became clear that given the duration needed to sort out the papers for distribution to regions, the papers should have been shipped in. The 2018 examination administration roadmap seen by Saturday Standard shows that examination booklets will be dispatched to schools early to ease verification of the materials ahead of the scheduled dates.
The document reveals that Sub-County directors of education will receive the examination materials and issue them to centre managers, supervisors and invigilators to avoid last minute confusion. The details are contained in a brief by acting Knec Chief Executive Officer Mercy Karogo. This development comes as details emerged that during the Monday meeting, security officials will be given keys to the metallic containers ahead of the tests that start in two weeks.
Knec has invited top security officials, regional directors of education and school heads representatives for the final lap meeting. Cabinet Secretaries Amina Mohamed, Fred Matiang’i and Joe Mucheru and Teachers Service Commission Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia will attend the multi-agency meeting.
Security chiefs
Knec and the Ministry officials disclosed that the meeting will be the final push to rally all officers to the exam administration course. Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i will also address security chiefs on safety of schools after an attack left some teachers dead. Dr Matiang’i already said his ministry will support Knec to administer the exam. Knec chairperson George Magoha this week said security for this year’s examinations has been scaled up.
“We want to state clearly that anybody hoping to do anything against the law or set guidelines will fail. Candidates should just prepare and we guarantee them the best administered examinations,” said Magoha. A total of 1.7 million learners are expected to sit this year’s primary and secondary school tests. Of these, 1,060,703 will sit their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) tests and 664,585 will write their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) papers. Amina said the Government has set aside Sh4.2 billion to run the national examinations. The CS noted that the ministry had mapped out 22 alternative centres where candidates hit by conflict could sit the exams in Nakuru County. She said some 25 centres have been identified where exam candidates could be accommodated if there was another flare-up of conflict. “There are ongoing consultations with the Ministry of Interior to enhance security to ensure that normalcy returns to the affected areas,” said Amina. The KCPE exams will be done in 27,161 centres while 10,077 centres will host KCSE candidates. Mrs Karogo said 65,107 invigilators and 27,354 supervisors would be deployed to administer the KCPE exams.