Four inmates fail to turn up for KCPE exams

By ROBERT KIPLAGAT

BARINGO, KENYA: Four inmates at Kabarnet GK Prison in Baringo County who had registered for this year’s KCPE examinations failed to turn up for the examinations that kicked off on Tuesday morning after they completed their jail terms.

The four were among the nine who had registered and had prepared to sit for the examinations but after they completed their jail terms and some released after presidential pardon, they never came back to do the examinations.

On Tuesday morning however, the five inmates sat their national examination at AIC Visa Oshwal primary in Kabarnet and most of them exuded confidence of excelling in the national paper.

One of the prisoners Cosmas Kibet,28, who spoke to The Standard before the start of the examinations said that the examinations is just a kick-start to achieving his vision of being a high school teacher.

“I come from Tangulbei in East Pokot district and my parents never bothered to take us to school but I am passionate that this is the grand opportunity for me to achieve my dream,” said Kibet who is serving a three-year jail term for theft.

Kibet who is still remaining with 16 months to complete his term has however called on the government support to join form one and eventually fulfill his dreams.

Officer in-charge of Kabarnet GK Prisons Joseph Mwalo said the candidates had prepared themselves well adding that it was unfortunate that all those who had registered did not turn up.

“We had registered nine candidates, but five managed to sit for the exams. I tried pursuing some of them and had agreed to come back and sit for the paper but they did not,” Mwalo told The Standard.

At the same a 14 year-old Koech Chepchieng Bramwel, sat his examinations at Kabarnet District Hospital after he was knocked down by a vehicle outside school gate and suffered fractures in his left leg and hand.