CS Amina expresses concern about teenage pregnancies as KCPE ends

President Uhuru Kenyatta interacts with pupils of Uhuru Gardens Primary School ahead of the day's KCPE examination papers. [Standard]

This year’s KCPE has ended but not without its fair share of oddities.

More than four candidates wrote their exams in health facilities having given birth during the three-day exam period.

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed has since raised concerns about the increased teenage pregnancies witnessed across the country.

“We have detected a high number of candidates who become mothers during this period and this could be a problem for the country,” she said.

On Wednesday evening, one candidate was rushed to a health centre in Homa Bay County after she developed labour pains during examinations. The pupil at Kikubi Primary School in Suba South Sub-County became restless forcing the school management and her parents to take her to Nyandiwa Health Centre.

Another, a 19-year-old from Tswaka Primary School in Lunga Lunga sub-county gave birth at a private clinic in Shimoni. She was later transferred to Tswaka dispensary where she sat for her exams.

In Nyandarua, the head teacher of South Wales Academy was arrested for turning up to pick exams while drunk.

 Still on matters of rubbing the law the wrong way, in Bomet Central, a 19-year-old wrote his exams at Bomet Police Station. Officers say he was arrested on Tuesday evening for burning his mother’s house.

From burning houses to disappearances, candidates at Olenamuka Primary School in Narok North had anxious moments after their exam papers disappeared on transit.  Teachers had collected them from a container with full police escort only for one of them realise hers had disappeared  

According to area County Police Commander Thomas Ngeiywa, the Kiswahili, Insha and Science papers went missing while being transported to the school after they were head picked from a container at Olokurto at around 4am.

"It was around 4am when eight head teachers picked up their papers while being escorted by police in one vehicle. When two teachers alighted from the vehicle, one of them realised she didn't have her materials," said the County police boss.

Following the incident, Police in Narok held a head teacher identified as Ann Kirui.

Obviously, it was the wrong time to lose exam material. Not hours after President Uhuru Kenyatta had talked tough about exam security.

Eight teachers and two police officers were arrested are expected in court today.

But the story had a happy ending: The students were supplied with photocopied exams and it was business as usual.