Hundreds of exam candidates stranded by Elgeyo Marakwet mudslides to be airlifted for national exams
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said multi-agency teams are already on the ground assessing the situation and making arrangements to relocate affected learners.
Hundreds of Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates stranded in parts of Elgeyo Marakwet, where heavy rains and mudslides have claimed at least 21 lives, will be evacuated by the government to ensure they sit their national exams on schedule.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said multi-agency teams are already on the ground assessing the situation and making arrangements to relocate affected learners.
More To Read
- Death toll rises to 22 as rescue, relief efforts intensify in Elgeyo Marakwet mudslide tragedy
- Death toll rises to 21 in Elgeyo Marakwet landslide as government pauses rescue operations
- KeRRA warns of impassable roads as landslides kill 15 people in Elgeyo Marakwet
- Update: 15 dead after massive landslide in Elgeyo Marakwet County following heavy rains
- KNEC faces Sh3.7 billion funding shortfall, raising fears over KCSE disruptions
- Government to release KPSEA and KJSEA results in December, KCSE results in January next year
“It is unfortunate about the disaster that happened last night, mudslides that have taken lives and injured others. But the government, under the disaster management system and using all the multi-agencies, has moved there,” Ogamba, who was speaking in Mombasa during a sports activity for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students, said.
He added that the teams are identifying which schools have been affected to ensure no candidate misses the examinations.
“We also have our teams on the ground to find out which schools have been affected. If there are, we will make arrangements to ensure students from that area do not miss exams on Monday,” he said.
The CS added that the government is making alternative arrangements and is prioritising the safety, well-being and uninterrupted participation of students in disaster-prone regions
“The team will give us a report later in the day to find out whether there are schools affected, how many students are affected, then we will put in place mechanisms to ensure that next week they are able to undertake the examinations and assessments,” he said.
He said the arrangements include moving candidates from affected schools to safer locations.
“Airlifting them and ensuring that we have enough alternative transport logistics,” Ogamba added, assuring that no child will miss the national examinations because of the tragedy.
The CS emphasised that the government’s focus remains on ensuring candidates in disaster-prone areas are safe, calm and adequately supported to complete their assessments without disruption.
Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) was completed last week, while the KJSEA will conclude this week, paving the way for the first cohort of Competency Based Education (CBE) learners to join senior school in 2026.
He assured Kenyans that the Ministry of Education will work around the clock to ensure the timely release of results, giving parents and guardians enough time to prepare for their children’s transition under the 100 per cent transition policy.
“Additionally, the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination will be concluded later next month, with the results expected to be released in January 2026. In total, 3.4 million candidates are sitting the various national assessments and examinations in our country this year,” Ogamba said.
Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Chief Executive Officer David Njengere revealed that 996,078 students are sitting for KCSE this year, while over 2.4 million learners are taking part in KPSEA and KJSEA assessments that began on October 27. The KPSEA exams ran from October 27 to 29, while the KJSEA will conclude on November 3. KCSE written exams started on October 21 and will end on November 21.
Of these, 1,130,669 Grade 9 learners are taking KJSEA, while 1,298,089 Grade 6 pupils are sitting KPSEA. In total, KNEC is administering examinations and assessments to 3,424,836 candidates nationwide.
Learners in Grade 6 are completing their primary school cycle, while those in Grade 9 are transitioning from junior to senior school in January 2026, marking a major milestone in Kenya’s Competency-Based Education system.
Top Stories Today
