Amos Kareithi
4 November 2005
Nairobi — Panic gripped Nyeri District after Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Physics practical examination papers for 19 schools went missing.
In what teachers and students described as the most serious hiccup ever in the area, thousands of Form Four candidates waited for examination material for more than four hours.
Anxious teachers, police officers and examinations officials waited at Othaya divisional headquarters following the mix-up.
"We were informed we could not collect the examination papers. No reasons were given. We waited until after10am," said a supervisor at Othaya Boys High School, Mr Peter Mugo Murage.
Investigations by The Standard established the papers meant for 19 schools were mistakenly sent to Ol'kalou Division in Nyandarua District.
An education officer said Kenya National Examinations Council officials were contacted when the anomaly was detected.
"They wanted us to distributed the Ol'Kalou papers to our schools but there was a problem. We have 19 schools while Ol'kalou has only six," another officials said.
Students had to wait until noon as the Knec headquarters hurriedly dispatched papers.
Nyeri District Education officer Davis Mwalime confirmed the hitch but refused to give details.
At Othaya school, the examinations, which started at 11.47am, were expected to end at around 7pm.
In all the schools The Stabndard visited, teachers said they were under strict instructions not to talk to the Press.
A cross section of students interviewed expressed disappointment, saying the delay had caused confusion.
Some teachers criticised Knec for the many blunders reported this year, and called for its reconstitution.
They said the hitches could adversely affect KCSE results because many students had complained of anxiety.
The teachers said the exams body could no longer be trusted with marking and distribution of the vital national examinations which determined the future of thousands of students.
Since the Form Four final examinations started on October 21, there has been a number of hitches reported, including a mix-up of questions in the Mathematics paper, and blank and inadequate papers.
Teachers and parents said they expected more problems during Kenya Certificate of Primary Education which has more candidates and needs more logistical planning.
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