KCSE 2019 DAY 2: Scores of KCSE Candidates Give Birth During Exams

The second day of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education kicked off on a sober mood across the Country under tight security, however, the number of candidates that have given birth between yesterday, when the exams started and today have raised eyebrows among authorities.

Below is a breakdown of the situation of KCSE 2019 candidates giving birth during this exam period:

Baringo County

At St. Mary’s Tenges in Baringo Central, Baringo County, a KCSE candidate went into labor pains just a few before the exam started on the morning of 4^th November 2019.

The 18-year-old KCSE candidate hence had to sit her first exam which was the English paper at the Baringo County Referral Hospital where an invigilator was allocated.

The KCSE candidate and new mother of a girl sat the exam as a relative babysat the newborn infant.

Reuben Ratemo, the Baringo Central Deputy County Commissioner confirmed the case saying that the candidate would sit the exams in the hospital to the date she would get discharged as her right.

Bomet County

Longisa County Referral hospital in Bomet turned into an exam center for one candidate yesterday, 4^th of November 2019 after a KCSE candidate from Kerundut Secondary School in Chepalungu Sub-County was rushed to the facility to give birth.

The Bomet student delivered the baby safely before continuing with her afternoon papers from Longisa County Referral maternity hospital bed.

Nelson Masai, the Chepalungu Sub-County Police boss confirmed the Bomet incident saying that the candidate will sit for the rest of her exams at the maternity facility unless discharged from where she would have to report to school.

Bomet experienced a high of pregnancies during this KCSE period with 12 other pregnant girls looking heavily pregnant without any signs of labor pains yet.

The 12 pregnant KCSE candidates are seven from Kiplogyi Girls in Bomet Central and five from Mulot Secondary in Bomet East.

The Bomet County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding reassured members of the public that there were contingency measures at the Longisa County Referral hospital where any of the girls would be rushed to in the event that they went into labor.

Nandi County

Saint Robert Secondary School Arwos in Emgwen, Nandi was rushed to the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital after developing labor pains during her first English paper which she completed in the hospital bed after a safe delivery.

Meru County

In Meru County, Igembe Constituency, Nyambene Health Centre was turned into a KCSE examination center after one student began experiencing labor pains as the rest prepared to sit the morning paper.

Charles Njeru Muchiri, the Sub County Director of Education confirmed the case saying the candidate would sit for the KCSE 2019 examinations in a private room in the health facility.

Nyamira County

In Nyamira County, one candidate has refused to sit her KCSE national exams after giving birth.

The 19-year-old candidate who gave birth successfully at Bosiango Health Centre after going into labor on 3^rd November 2019 wrote to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) declining to continue with the exams.

“She did not sit for any paper and she has already written to KNEC saying she doesn’t need to sit her KCSE,” Mariba said adding that it be she was scared of the exam since she had been regularly absent from school since February after registering for the exams and had only reappeared during the tests.

Another KCSE candidate at Nyaikuro Secondary School continues to sit her papers at a nearby private clinic where she was admitted with labor pains.

It has become a norm to have pupils and students give birth during examinations which have raised the need to have the conversation nationally.