Teachers’ unions in Western Kenya have raised concerns over the safety of examination officials in flood-prone areas and the government’s preparedness as KCSE examinations begin.
The teachers said there are fears that the heavy rains might result in flooding that can interfere with the administration of the exam.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) urged teachers to prioritise their lives and suspend journeys to examination centres whenever weather conditions become dangerous.
The unions expressed concern over the preparedness of the government to ensure the safe delivery of examination papers and the protection of candidates and teachers, particularly in Budalang’i, Busia County, which is prone to flooding, and Malava, Kakamega County, where residents have experienced landslides.
The concerns come as the government assured candidates, parents and teachers that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure examinations proceed smoothly, while warning against activities that could disrupt candidates.
KNUT Kakamega County Secretary General Shadrack Ngayi urged teachers supervising the examinations to exercise caution when travelling during the rainy season, warning them against risking their lives to fulfil their duties.
Ngayi questioned whether the government had put in place adequate contingency measures to transport examination papers to areas that could be cut off by floods.
“I have heard the government say it has put in place measures to deal with El Niño and that there are plans for the examinations. However, during the briefing, I did not hear anything about having aircraft to transport examination papers to our areas,” he said.
He urged teachers to avoid crossing flooded rivers and roads, insisting that examination duties should not take precedence over their safety.
“If you leave home to supervise examinations and find that a nearby river is overflowing or the road is flooded while it is still raining, do not proceed. Stay home until the rain subsides before travelling. We do not want to hear of any more teachers losing their lives,” Ngayi said.
KUPPET Busia Branch Secretary General Charles Mukhwana called on the Ministries of Interior and Education, alongside other relevant agencies, to move swiftly to protect teachers, candidates and their families in vulnerable areas, particularly Bunyala.
He urged authorities to consider moving those at risk to safer locations before flooding worsens, saying the safety of examination personnel and learners should be guaranteed throughout the examination period.
“We are calling on the Ministries of Interior and Education and other agencies to move into Bunyala so that children, teachers and families can be moved to safe areas. We do not want candidates to perform poorly and later have their results attributed to El Niño or floods,” Mukhwana said.
He urged authorities and teachers to act promptly whenever there were signs of impending danger rather than wait until roads became impassable or communities were cut off.
The unions’ concerns have raised questions about the government’s preparedness to administer national examinations in areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides, particularly if heavy rains disrupt transport and access to schools.
However, Busia County Director of Education Mary Oichuyu maintained that the government was ready for the examinations, saying the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) had briefed supervisors and centre managers.
She said security officers would escort examination papers from storage containers to examination centres to ensure their safe delivery.
“I want to inform the county that we are ready for these examinations. KNEC officers have visited and briefed our supervisors and centre managers. Security officers will escort examination papers from the container to schools,” Oichuyu said.
Meanwhile, Mumias East Deputy County Commissioner Beatrice Odira urged parents to provide candidates with a conducive environment to prepare for their examinations, which run until November 20.
She warned against disco matanga events and political rallies near schools, saying the activities could distract candidates and undermine their concentration.
"We are in the examination period, and from today until November 20, candidates must be given a peaceful environment to prepare and sit their examinations. Parents should provide them with adequate lighting, including fuel or solar lamps, to enable them to study at home," said Odira.
She added, "We will not allow disco matanga events or political meetings near schools because candidates need a quiet environment to concentrate on their examinations. We also want to ensure that every registered candidate reports to complete their examinations.”
Odira also called on parents to ensure candidates had adequate lighting, including fuel or solar lamps, to enable them to revise at home.
She further urged schools and families to ensure all registered candidates, including those who had previously missed examinations but were allowed to return, reported to complete their papers.
Malava MP David Ndakwa urged teachers to assess conditions on the ground before deciding whether flooding made it impossible to deliver examination papers.
He said teachers should fulfil their responsibilities where it was safe to do so but acknowledged the need to consider the actual threat posed by rising water levels.
“Teachers should assess the situation on the ground before deciding whether they can proceed with their duties. If the water levels have risen dangerously and an area is completely flooded, they should report the situation rather than risk their lives. However, they should not use the threat of El Niño as a reason to abandon their responsibilities where it is safe to deliver the examinations. We must ensure that candidates sit their examinations while taking the necessary precautions against flooding," said Ndakwa.
