1.8m KCPE, KCSE examination papers ready

Printing of this year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination papers has been completed.

This emerged after high-level teams from the Ministry of Education and the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) visited the printer in the United Kingdom last week.

“We are now ready and we want the candidates to concentrate on completion of the syllabus and to avoid doing things that will compromise the examinations,” said Knec acting CEO Mercy Karogo said yesterday.

Overall, some 1,088,986 candidates are registered to sit KCPE, while 699,745 will sit KCSE.

Last week, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha cautioned candidates and parents against any plot to leak the two examinations.

“We have done all that is required of us to prepare and protect the examinations. No one will access the question papers before time. Parents and candidates must not be fooled,” said Prof Magoha.

The CS spoke as reports emerged that some 16 counties were placed on high alert weeks before the start of the examinations.

These are Bungoma, Kisumu, Kisii, Homa Bay and Migori counties, in Western and Nyanza regions. Also in the heightened security radar are Machakos, Meru, Isiolo, Turkana, West Pokot, Kericho, Narok, Elgeyo Marakwet, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties.

Data from Knec shows that some 173,945 personnel will be used during the field administration of KCPE examination, which will be conducted between October 29 and 31.

According to Dr Karogo (pictured), coordination and marking of KCPE Kiswahili Insha and English Composition will take place between November 1 and 20.

Some 6,440 examiners will be invited to mark the KCPE examination. Processing and release of the examination results will be completed by end of November 2019.

For KCSE, 70,790 personnel will be used during field administration of the examination that will be conducted between October 21 and November 27.

Coordination and marking of KCSE examination will be between November 18 and December 20. Some 26,597 examiners will be involved in marking.

The processing and release of the 2019 KCSE examination results is expected to be completed before December 25.

Speaking last week, Magoha claimed some examination cartels were planning to infiltrate the administration of this year’s tests after his exit from Knec board.

“The administration of the examinations will be more intense. Those imagining that I am not in Knec are misled. I am personally overseeing the entire process,” he said.