The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) theory papers commenced this morning, with over 900,000 candidates sitting for the national examinations.

The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has assured the country of the examination’s integrity, insisting that new measures have been introduced to curb cheating.

According to KNEC CEO David Njegere, the papers will be personalised bearing each students’ name and index number, and no extra papers will be printed.

At the end of each paper, Njegere says that the part bearing the candidates’ details will be torn off and packed separately. This, KNEC says, will make the examiner oblivious of which student he or she is marking his or her paper.

“This is the first time that the part that has the candidates’ details will be separated… so that examiners are not able to see the name of the candidate,” Njengere told The Standard. “We are set and have given briefings… After the national briefing, we went to every sub-county, to centre managers, supervisors, were all briefed, especially with the new innovations.”

KCSE candidate gives birth

Meanwhile in Ainamoi Constituency, Kericho County, a female student is sitting for her examinations from a hospital after giving birth a few hours ago.

Sisco Chepkirui, a student of Laliat Secondary School, was forced to do her exams from a maternity ward at Kericho County Referral Hospital, after giving birth to a bouncing baby on Monday, November 4 morning.

Dr. Joel Tonui, the head of nursing services at the facility, says that the 18-year-old student was admitted with signs of fetal distress. With medical assistance, she safely delivered her baby at around 3 AM.

Both mother and baby, Dr Tonui says, are in good condition.

Since Chepkirui is sitting for her national examinations, the baby has since been moved to the Newborn Unit to create a conducive environment for the mother to concentrate on her papers.