There was panic in a school in Nakuru yesterday following a shortage of Mathematics papers as more than 670,000 candidates began the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examination countrywide.

In the Nakuru incident, the examination supervisor detected the anomaly at Kiamaina Primary School when candidates were being issued with question papers and answer sheets.

In Suba, about 31 candidates, the majority of them girls, failed to show up for the exams. A head teacher in Rusinga Island said most of the girls had got married. Teachers said some of the missing boys had opted to hawk fish in the beaches.

But in the neighbouring Migori District, supervisors complained that a referendum campaign convoy distracted candidates in schools near the Kisii-Migori highway.

In Nyanza Province, which has 110,245 candidates, 34 inmates from Kodiaga and Kibos prisons sat the exam, said the District Adult Education Officer, Caroline Omenda.

Most institutions yesterday collected Mathematics papers from Central Police Station, Kisumu without police escort. Head teachers said they were forced to drive examination supervisors and invigilators in their vehicles to keep time.

In Naivasha, 21 death row inmates were among 30 prisoners sitting the exams at the maximum security prison. The officer in charge of the prison, Mr James Mwalo Kogieny, said eight other candidates who had registered to sit the exam at the centre did not turn up because they had been released.

In Kisii and Gucha districts, examinations were delayed for almost an hour due to late arrival of papers. At 9am, almost 30 minutes late, supervisors were still waiting for transport at the Kisii Police Station.

In Taita Taveta, exams started as late as 10am in most schools due to lack of transport. An education official, Mr Bernard Mwema, said shortage of Government vehicles affected the delivery of papers.

In Thika, candidates at Joytown Special Primary School, the Mathematics paper was delayed for about 30 minutes to enable supervisors and invigilators to assist the 24 candidates to write their names on question papers.

A supervisor Hellen Mutholu said the students were slow in writing and could not use the answer sheets but were allowed to mark answers in the question papers.

In Nyeri, two KCPE candidates sat their exams in hospital wards. A pupil from Kariara Primary School sat the papers at the maternity ward at Consolata Mission Hospital after developing complications. Education officials took her papers more than 30km to Consolata Hospital.

KCPE papers in five Nyeri schools were delayed for over three hours after the principal of a secondary school disagreed with education officials over the use of a bus.

The Kagumo High School principal, Mr Mwaniki Ngumi, whose vehicle was to carry the papers, instructed his driver not to follow the route which would have taken him to Mbiriri, Mountain Star Mapema, Kabaru and St Hellen primary schools. He then sat next to the driver to ensure he did not disobey.

After the candidates were through with the examination the supervisors were yet again subjected to another long wait for the school bus. At 5pm, they were still waiting.

There was anxiety at Valentine Primary School at Likoni, as the candidate, who was recently charged with defiling an 11-year-old girl, was brought in under tight security. He was afterwards taken back to the Bamburi Police Station.

In the ongoing KCSE examinations, police arrested a candidate suspected to be an impostor. The candidate was picked up at Ritembu Secondary School, Gucha District, as he sat History and Government Paper 2. Police said they had been tipped that he was impersonating a friend.

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