Fourteen learners are among the 28 people confirmed dead following a devastating landslide in Elgeyo Marakwet County, even as the government races to ensure candidates in the affected areas continue sitting for their national examinations without disruption.
Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Julius Bitok said arrangements have been put in place to ensure all learners, including those from the 28 primary and secondary schools directly affected by the landslide and floods, are able to sit for both the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.
Speaking in Nairobi after overseeing the opening of KCSE exam containers at the Westlands Deputy County Commissioner’s office, the PS said the government has deployed every available resource to support affected candidates.
“As government, we have mobilized all resources necessary to ensure that affected candidates can continue their examinations without interruption. We have made adequate arrangements to ensure that no candidate is disadvantaged because of weather conditions or the recent disaster,” PS Bitok said.
He added that helicopters, all-terrain vehicles, and other logistical support have been dispatched to distribute and collect exam materials in hard-to-reach areas.
The PS also said the Ministry of Education is working closely with the Ministry of Interior, county authorities, and other agencies to evacuate families, relocate candidates, and set up alternative examination centers.
The landslide, triggered by days of heavy rain, destroyed three bridges and cut off access to several schools and exam stations. According to the Ministry, the floods have directly or indirectly affected 1,867 candidates in both junior and senior schools across the region.
PS Bitok, who later visited the affected communities in Marakwet East, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling it a painful moment for the education sector.
“We are saddened by the loss of young lives in Marakwet East. It is an immense tragedy, and we extend our deepest condolences to the affected families,” he said.
Despite the disaster, the PS reported that the administration of national examinations across the country had commenced smoothly.
“Today marks the start of the English paper, which is the first major KCSE paper. I’m pleased to report that all containers were opened on time and exams dispatched without incident. We will deliver a credible and secure examination process,” he added.
The Elgeyo Marakwet tragedy has highlighted the vulnerability of learners in disaster-prone regions, especially during the national exam period.
The government’s rapid response and logistical interventions are expected to ensure that no learner misses their exams, even in the face of such heartbreaking loss.
