Form Four Candidates Taken Ill After Exposure To Deadly Chemical

Several Kenya Certificate of Secondary education (KCSE) candidates and invigilators have been taken ill after they were allegedly exposed to a deadly chemical known as xylene on Friday, 8^th November, during chemistry practical exams.

Xylene is known to be a toxic chemical compound which apart from causing health complications when inhaled, can cause death too.

The use of the deadly chemical compound was a directive from the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) to headteachers after cyclohexane, which was to be used for practice was found to be unavailable in the market.

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Executive Secretary for Taita Taveta region Shedrack Mutungi, rebuked KNEC accusing the examination body of negligence after he said he received complaints from several schools in the region that some students and invigilators had been sickly after being exposed to the deadly fumes.

“Teachers and students have been taken ill with symptoms such as dizziness, severe headaches, nausea, extreme fatigue, and vomiting as a result of being exposed to the chemical, and we are wondering if KNEC only cares about curbing exam cheating and forgetting that health is important,” said Mr. Mutungi.

In Trans-Nzoia, an expectant teacher who was invigilating exams at Gidea Girls School in Kwanza was rushed to Galilee hospital after suffering complications caused by exposure to the chemical.

The same complications have been reported in other counties such as Nyeri, Embu, and Meru, where invigilators and supervisors fell ill and several students given milk to neutralize the effects of the fumes in the body and some rushed to the hospital.

KUPPET officials have pointed to the recent incident as one of the risks science teachers face and want KNEC to compensate the teachers affected.

KNEC’s acting CEO Mercy Karogo was not available to speak about the issue as she was said to have been held up in meetings.