No incidents in Rift’s insecure zones, police presence high as KCSE kicks off

A police officer keeps vigil as Moi Girls High School students enter the examination room to tackle the second English paper in Eldoret, on Tuesday. [PHOTO: PETER OCHIENG/STANDARD]

By KARANJA NJOROGE and ROBERT KIPLAGAT

Security was tight as the Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education exams kicked off to a smooth start in various schools in Central, North and South Rift regions.

Nakuru County Director of Education Mathews Amboka said the exam had started well with no major incident reported.

“So far in the stations that I have visited there have been no incident reported and the exercise is smooth,” he added.

At last year’s top school Moi High School-Kabarak, all the 272 registered candidates turned for the exams. Acting Principal David Sugut said there were no hitches encountered as exam materials had arrived on time.

Composed

The candidates were heavily frisked before entering the examrooms to sit for their first paper, which was English Paper 1.

“All our 272 candidates have reported and are ready for the exams. They are composed and we have not had any hitches,” he said.

Sugut expressed optimism that the school which has a tradition of excelling in national exams would live up to its billing.

Police officers were deployed in most schools in Nakuru to ensure no instances of insecurity.

Following the introduction of new measures to curb cheating, candidates found guilty of irregularities risk five years in jail or Sh2 million in fine.

In Baringo, where 6,780 candidates in 116 exam centres sat for this year’s KCSE, tight security in cattle rustling-prone areas of Baringo North and Marigat districts was evident.

Baringo County Education Officer Hellen Nyang’au said despite the rugged terrain leading to many schools in the county, the exam materials arrived at the 116 centres without any logistical problems.

The candidates in schools along the swollen Lake Baringo such as Salabani and Ng’ambo secondary schools were not affected by the bursting lake though were at risk should the rain have persisted.