Knec to cut short KCPE candidates 'parte' with early result release

Candidates of Ikombe Primary School celebrate their performance in 2018. [Photo Courtesy]

More than one million students have today completed their eight-year Primary School journey after the highly pitched Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams ended.

The candidates had only one exam today, the lengthiest of all, Social Studies and Religious Education which was two hours and fifteen minutes.

Their completion, however, awaits confirmation from the Kenya National Examination Council which is expected to release the results of their primary school toil just before Christmas. 

The 2019 KCPE was never short of drama as the exam period kicked off with weather glitches witnessed in various parts of the country that saw exam delay.

Some parts of West Pokot and Turkana experienced heavy downpour that hampered the distribution of exam materials and centres had to wait for choppers to deliver the materials.

Reports of exam cheating popped up with at least fifteen people arrested over the vice that the education ministry has been battling for years.

Five examination officials at Kapterema Primary School in West Pokot County were arrested for allegedly engaging in exam malpractice.

Among them, was a teacher who was nabbed taking pictures of a science examination paper using his mobile phone.

In Nyandaraua County, eight others were apprehended for allegedly engaging in cheating at Hezta School in Ol Kalou.

Similarly, the eight are accused of sending examination answers via mobile phones to teachers who in turn give the answers to candidates.

There were also cases of candidates who became mothers prior to the national exams and they had to write their exams in maternity wards.

Four candidates from Narok, Bomet and Nakuru counties sat for their examinations at separate hospitals after they gave birth hours to the examination kick-off.

In a rather sad report, a candidate reportedly died and more than ten others wrote their examination in hospital during this year’s KCPE exam that just ended.

On a spot check by KTN News, students and teachers at Harvest View Academy in Nairobi expressed their joy after the last exam with most of the candidates saying that this year’s KCPE exam was quite easy.

“I am very happy because our students have completed the work that had brought them here and we our expectations are high because we prepared them well and a few days from now we will gather here to celebrate their results,” said Franklin Musunga, a teacher of English in the school.

Even after finalising their exams, some students were seen in an open discussion guided with a Social Studies textbook probably to make certain that they have answered some of the questions correctly.

Claire Achieng who was part of the group laid bare her desire to join the prestigious national school Alliance Girls and she believes she will attain more than 400 marks required to land her there.

“I am happy because the exam was friendly. We thought we would be frightened but everyone appeared well-prepared. I believe I will excel,” said Claire.

One of the students hilariously narrated how he wrote his Insha in an admirable fancy Swahili that he believes will make his essay stand out.

“… tukapanga njama ya kupora benki. Lakini hatukujua kwamba siku yetu ya arobaini ilikuwa imewadia baada ya kushiriki uhalifu kwa miaka mitatu… [We planned to rob a bank little did we know it was our proverbial 40th day after dwelling in robbery for three years…],” partly narrated the student.

It seems a ‘parte’ for candidates countrywide to finally rest their primary school case but their ‘after parte’ will be determined just a few weeks from now, before the coveted Christmas holidays.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha said earlier today that the results for KCPE 2019 will be released before December 25.

Will it be a merry or solemn Christmas for them?