Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary, Dr Raymond Omollo, has today officiated the opening of a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination container at the Deputy County Commissioner’s office in Kikuyu, marking the start of this year’s national exams.
Dr Omollo, who also observed the commencement of the KCSE exams at Alliance Girls High School in Kiambu County, underscored the government’s dedication to ensuring a safe and fair exam period.
Addressing education officials and local administrators, he emphasised on the role of security in maintaining integrity throughout the examination process.
“As we go through this exercise, you can always count on our support. From the security sector, I am happy to note that so far we have not had any major security incident, and we expect that to be the situation throughout the coming days,” said Dr Omollo.
The PS further highlighted the government’s prioritization of education in the country’s budget.
“The government has invested a lot in education. Actually, education has the biggest budget line in this country. This shows how much His Excellency President Ruto values education and the role it has in changing this country,” Omollo said.
The KCSE exam container, stationed at the Deputy County Commissioner’s office in Kikuyu, is among multiple secure storage facilities established nationwide to store and distribute examination materials.
The initiative aims to prevent cases of exam malpractice and boost logistical efficiency in the handling of exam materials across the country. Each container is under 24-hour surveillance and is only accessed by authorized officials, ensuring exam integrity is maintained.
Dr Omollo’s visit to Alliance Girls High School allowed him to witness the exam’s kick-off firsthand.
He lauded the school’s administration for its meticulous preparations and urged students to remain calm and focused throughout the examination period.
This year, over 950,000 candidates are expected to sit for the KCSE exams across the country, an increase from 2023, when 903,138 candidates registered. The Ministry of Education and security agencies are said to be working closely to monitor exam centres and address any emerging challenges.
The national examinations kicks off with English and Chemistry papers, with the exercise set to come to a close on November 22, 2024.
Deputy County Commissioner for Kikuyu Sub-County, Charles Laboso, alongside County education officials, expressed their commitment to upholding the examination guidelines, reassuring parents, students, and the public of a seamless process.
By Wangari Ndirangu and Xavier
