Concern over Pregnancy Cases in National Exams.
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam for 2022 began yesterday with 884,263 registered candidates.
A student in labor was transported from Makanyanga Secondary School in Tharaka Nithi County to the hospital.
Komarock Hospital. Julius Too, deputy county commissioner of Igambang’ombe, stated that the girl completed her paperwork in a hospital.
Six candidates took tests in the maternity wing of Uasin Gishu County’s Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
After unlocking the exam paper container in Ainabkoi, Deputy County Commissioner Charles Laboso told reporters that it is government policy to ensure every applicant takes the exam.
Candidates hail from the counties of Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, and West Pokot.
“Measures have been put in place to ensure that the candidates sit for exams as planned without interference,” said Mr. Laboso.
According to Narok County Commissioner Isaac Masinde, one hundred eight girls in the region are completing their papers while pregnant.
In Narok, over 140 girls who were pregnant took the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations.
There were three pregnant girls among the 19,472 KCSE candidates in Nyeri.
Yesterday, while giving papers to principals, County Education Director Sabina Aroni stated that test authorities had been instructed on how to manage the three if they gave birth.
“We have put measures in place to ensure they are comfortable,” she said.
Ann Kiilu, director of education for Murang’a County, fears that some of the expecting KCSE students will have labor pains before the conclusion of the exams on December 23.
Kiilu said that none of the pregnant KPSEA and KCPE candidates were checked out in the labor ward.
Still, there may be delivery incidents among those taking the KCSE.
She said that steps had been taken to ensure that candidates who might be let into the labor ward are watched while examined.
Kiilu stated that the County had not reported any instances of cheating on the KCPE or KPSEA.
Twenty-six thousand two hundred thirty-four applicants sat for the KCPE in 625 centers, and 24,985 students took the national assessment for grade six.
“All involved officers are working in cooperation to ensure Murang’a will deliver credible examination results. The government has also deployed enough security officers to man all examination centres,” Kiilu added.
Currently, 31,197 candidates are sitting for the KCSE examination in 343 locations throughout the County.
A portion of Narok Area Assembly (MCA) members have expressed worry over the high number of teen moms taking the national exam in the County.
This is a result of the Narok County Commissioner’s office announcing that 248 females, 140 in elementary school and 108 in secondary school, were enrolled in the County’s national examination.
The MCAs urged parents to assume the parental role of guiding their daughters on this holiday so that they do not indulge in regressive cultural behaviors that harm their education.
The MCAs, led by the majority leader of the County Assembly, Dominic Lemain, accused parents of not taking their responsibility seriously and urged them to spend quality time with their children during this holiday.
“Retrogressive culture like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and teenage pregnancies take our society behind. We need to shun these practices and embrace modernity,” he said.
Lemain, also an Ololulunga MCA, urged churches and other organizations to assist in mentoring and counseling the girls, so they do not become pregnant at a young age.
He stressed that parents should act as guides and role models for their young children instead of allowing them to spend a great deal of time with people who do not offer value to their lives.
Mogondo MCA Kipsang Mibei complained that many children were dropping out due to backward culture. However, the government provides substantial funding for school fees and bursaries to the students.
He pondered what had gone wrong with the present generation, expressing concern over the high rate of teen pregnancies in the County.
“As leaders, we will sit down and do a thorough research to establish why our county is always ranked top in teenage pregnancies,” he said.
“We want to know whether it is the long distances between the schools and the homes or is it because of poor upbringing of the children?” said Mibei.
Nkaretta MCA Nkalua Kuyioni recommended that parents not permit their children to attend night-out events such as discos and prayers, where they could be easily duped into engaging in sexual activity.
He stated that the County Assembly would write legislation to discourage teen pregnancies and assist previously afflicted girls.
During this year’s National test, 248 girls will be pregnant, with 140 in primary and 108 in high school.
Girl Sits For KCSE In Labour Ward
After experiencing labor pains, a Form Four student from Sir Alex Ruchu Girls High School in Kandara, Murang’a County, is sitting for her KCSE national exams in the labor department of Thika Level Five Hospital.
Director of Education for Thika Sub-County, Maurice Sifuna, stated that the girl was in severe discomfort before being admitted to the hospital and is close to giving birth.
Even though she is from a different county, he stated that they had worked closely with her local hospital and school to ensure that the applicant may take her tests securely.
The officer also reported that three additional candidates for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) had been admitted to the same hospital with unknown issues.
Two of them admitted are boys from the neighboring Kandara Sub County, while the other is a girl from Thika West.
On Friday morning, 13,467 students in Kirinyaga County began taking the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Since more girls than boys registered to take the national test in this County, 7,068 of the total are female.
Kirinyaga-central Two male students are taking their exams inside the Kerugoya GK Prison, while three pregnant female candidates are doing so at the Kerugoya hospital, as was mentioned by the deputy county commissioner, Daniel Ndege.
Ndege stated, “I can confirm to you that one has given birth today morning, and the other two are yet to confirm.
Exam containers were opened in front of deputy county commissioners from each region’s five sub-counties: Kirinyaga Central, Ndia, Mwea-East, Mwea-West, and Gichugu.
Mr. Moses Ivuto, the commissioner of Kirinyaga County, called on all parties involved to ensure that all candidates would be given a fair and comfortable testing atmosphere.
