All set as schools prepare for national tests

Candidates rehearse for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at Elfema Primary School in Eldoret, Uasin Gishui County. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Primary schools across the country Friday took the last Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates through the final phase ahead of the national examinations.

KCPE and the first Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) begin on Monday.

Teachers and pupils said they were ready for the tests and have prepared their candidates well.

School heads said after the resumption of the normal academic calendar at the beginning of this year, they had adequate time to prepare learners for the tests.

In Nandi, Isaac Magut (St Mathews Septonok), Sammy Sawe (Bishop Muge Memorial School) and Gertrude Lagat (Nandi Hills Primary) said they recorded increased entries to this year’s examinations.

“Over the past two academic calendars, we were under immense pressure owing to disrupted programmes due to COVID-19. But this year, we concluded the syllabus on time,” said Magut.

Magut said they entered 157 candidates, the highest in the schools’ history, noting that 115 sat for last year’s examinations. The institution also has 134 candidates for KPSEA.

Added Sawe: “We are ready for the examinations and our 117 KCPE candidates are targeting to improve last year’s mean score from 393 to 402. We are confident of achieving good results.”

 At Nyeri Primary School, all the 445 candidates are geared up for the exams on Monday.

According to the head, Vincent Mwangi, the school has 235 KCPE and 210 KPSEA candidates.

The head teacher at Nyamachaki James Mwaniki said he is expecting the exercise to run smoothly. The school has registered 195 KCPE candidates.

Due to the high population, he said the candidates would be spread in 20 rooms, 10 rooms for KCPE and 10 rooms for KPSEA.

In Nyanza, government officials have warned businesses and residents from interfering with the national exams.

Migori County Commissioner David Gitonga said entertainment joints and Discos will be closed and action taken against owners for noise making during the national examination period.

Gitonga claimed that some of the entertainment joints may disrupt learning and examinations.

“We are giving them a warning. If you make noise, we will close your facility,” Mr Gintonga said.

He was speaking in Migori town where education stakeholders including education officers, security teams, and school heads issued a press briefing on the preparedness of the national examinations.