Day one of the twin primary school national examinations ended smoothly without any major disruptive incidents as the government had deployed various officials to over see the exercise.
Class 8 candidates across the country started the final Kenya Certificate of Primary Education while Grade 6 learners sat for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment.
President William Ruto on Monday launched the three-day exercises from Kikuyu Township Primary School in Kiambu county, where he urged the learners to put their best foot forward.
Ruto said the government has created a conducive environment to ensure a seamless transition into the next education levels.
Though there were no major disruptions, some learners did not sit for the exam from their exam centres.
Three girls are reported to have written their exams in hospital after giving birth.
“One KCPE candidate gave birth today at Mother and Child Hospital Wote in Makueni. She is currently sitting for her exams at the said facility under guard,” the incident report reads.
In Kitui West, a 17-year-old girl had to write her exams from hospital after she gave birth on Sunday.
An expectant candidate in Mwingi also developed labour pains and was rushed to hospital where she delivered safely.
“Arrangements have been made and she is taking her examination at the said facility,” the report says.
A Grade 6 learner from Ngumbwa Primary School in Mutitu also ended up sitting his KEPSEA test at the Kitui County Referral Hospital having been admitted due to fracture on his leg.
A national round-up by the Star showed that many exam centres started the exercise at the stipulated time.
Some parts of Meru county like Thangatha ward in Tigania East had delays after the vehicle that was transporting the papers got stuck in mud.
Area Deputy County Commissioner Jackton Oriengy said alternative means were found to deliver the papers.
An incident of a learner's disappearance was reported in Kitui. The 17-year-old girl is said to have gone missing from her home on Monday.
Police from Kabati police station went out trying to trace her.
Thirteen inmates from Naivasha GK Prison missed out on the examinations on Monday.
The incidence report noted that the inmates were either released or transferred to other penal institutions with the prison registering a total of 54 candidates for the national exams.
Further, a review of the banditry-prone areas showed security agents were deployed in Baringo to ensure the learners sit their exam without any hitches.
This came after concern rose on whether learners from banditry-prone areas would be able to sit the exam seamlessly like the rest in the country.
Security was also a matter of concern in Lamu where the area is prone to attacks by Al Shabaab.
The government has deployed at least 60,000 security personnel across the country to secure the national examination centres and ensure the credibility of the exams.
In Migori, more than 80,000 candidates are sitting for primary level examinations as the exercise began smoothly in the county. Migori county has 815 examination centres.
In Suna East area Deputy County Commissioner Milkah Kariuki said the exercise has been smooth.
At the Coast a total of 263,241 candidates sat for their KCPE and KPSEA.
Out of the total number, 125,296 candidates are sitting for KCPE while 137,945 KPSEA exams.
In Mombasa, 24,000 candidates are expected to sit for their KCPE and 25,000 for KPSEA.
The Coast region has 53 examination containers serving 2,019 KCPE centres and 2,472 KPSEA centres.
At the end of the day, KNEC had not reported any major disruptions from any exam centre across the country.