The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KEPSEA) national exams 2023, kicked off well at Arap Moi Primary School in Ainabkoi sub county, Uasin Gishu County, amid a sombre mood as the school administration, parents and pupils mourned following the horrific incident where five candidates died after drowning in an amusement park on Saturday.
Speaking during his visit to the school, Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang expressed worry following the unfortunate accident as he called for psychological support to the school administration, parents, and the candidates.
He assured the country that the Ministry of Education working together with the multi-agency team, had put proper measures in place that enabled the exams to kick off well in all parts of the country.
“The exams have kicked off well, I have been engaging with my colleagues around the country, some parts like Mandera and Marsabit had fairly rained yesterday. We have deployed a number of helicopters to help deliver the exams to the affected areas,” he said.
He said that exams kicked off well all over the country without any serious challenges and expressed gratitude for the multi-agency team who have worked towards ensuring the examination was delivered well and on time.
The PS further mentioned that the regional security team has already launched an investigation into the deaths of the five candidates who were preparing to sit for this year’s national exams, particularly the last KCPE exams in the country and KEPSEA.
“I can assure all of us that this morning, we got KEPSEA and KCPE started off; 2.7 million children have already sat two papers, one at 8 a.m. and another at 11 a.m., so everything is so far so good,” added Dr. Kipsang.
“The team in Uasin Gishu has done a good job notwithstanding the problem that we had on Saturday. Our multi-agency team was led from Nairobi by our KICD Director, who has been around; he was in turbo this morning and has visited quite a number of places,” he said.
He commended the education team and area political leadership that were there yesterday and mobilized a team of counselors to come and counsel the parents and children.
“I want to assure the country that all is well, particularly in this school, Arap Moi Primary School. We shall give them all the support that is needed as they do the exam and we progress to process the examination,” said the Education PS.
Dr. Kipsang pointed out that the ministry is well prepared even for the KCSE exams that will begin on Monday next week.
On his part, Uasin County Commissioner Dr. Eddyson Nyale said that they have developed a county multi-agency team and developed an operation order to secure the exams and ensure they go on smoothly.
“In addition to the arrest we made, we are coming up with a plan of having a security assessment of the entire facility so that we can advise where complaints will be reopened appropriately,” said Dr. Nyale.
By Ekuwam Sylvester and Judy Too
