The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations officially kicked off in Marsabit County today at 43 examination centres across the county.
County director of education (CDE) Titus Mbatha said that examination papers had been delivered to the respective containers in all the 9 sub-counties in the county and he expected the exercise to run smoothly.
Mr Mbatha who was speaking during the opening of the examination container when English and chemistry subjects’ examination papers were distributed at the Marsabit Central headquarters disclosed that 2,440 candidates are sitting for KCSE in the county this year.
Out of the candidates who registered for the exam, 1,228 are girls while 1,212 boys enrolled for the examination.
Mr Mbatha further said that one private candidate, 22-year-old Diba Matacho will be sitting for the exam at the Marsabit county referral hospital where he has been battling fibrosis of the lung for the last six years.
Diba who was initially enrolled as a student at the Catholic Church run St Paul secondary school dropped out of school after he fell sick and missed the exam for the last three years.
The CDE said that arrangements had been made to enable the candidate to sit for the examination at the hospital in a private room
Also enlisted for the national examination are 18 adult learners whose centre is at Marsabit Boys secondary school.
Marsabit DCC David Saruni said a successful examination was expected as all logistics were in place including transport and security.
Marsabit County is reeling under severe drought and famine, a situation that has made the government and people of goodwill to donate food rations to examination centre managers to provide meals to the candidates during the examination period.
The DCC cautioned personnel in the examination administration chain against irregularities and asked center managers to ensure the exercise was conducted in a conducive environment.
