As schools prepare for KCPE and KCSE examinations the number of boys sitting for examinations this year has dropped in Trans-Nzoia County worrying education stakeholders within the county as fears are eminent about the education of the boy child.
While addressing journalists in his office, the Trans-Nzoia county Director of education Joseph Wamocho said there is an increase in the number of girls registered for the KCPE exams while that of boys has dropped.
The number of girls registered the last year 2015 for KCPE Examinations was 11,278 and this year’s population of girls who are going to sit for the same examinations has increased to 11,810, while for boys in 2015 was 11,500 while this year’s registered candidates has dropped to 11,116.
The same trend is also witnessed in secondary schools with the number of boy candidate dropping from last year’s 2015 population of 5,942 to this year’s registered candidates dropping to 5,474 while the girl’s population increased from last year’s 4,719 to this year’s 5006.
He said last year’s candidates for KCPE in the whole county was 22,778 and while this year is 22,926 while for KCSE last year was 10,661 and this year’s candidates are 10490.
The county director also pointed out that following an increased population of candidates doing their examinations this year has resulted in an increase in examination centers from last years in KCPE that was 479 to this year’s 502 while KCSE was 185 the last year 2015 has also increased to 268.
Wamocho lamented that the cases in drop of numbers for boys population especially candidates sitting for examinations within the county is worrying.and complicates there was need for all the education stake holders, politicians, and the Government to look into the causes of such issues warning if an immediate action will not be taken, then the boy child will be adversely affected.
The county director argued that most education stakeholders have put emphasis on the girl child education leaving out the boy child as some of the issues that might have affected the boy-child education as well as child labor brought about by the poverty of their parents that is rampant in the county.
He, however, confirmed having received examinations that are well guarded saying he was optimistic that examinations will be free and fair and all examinations will be released from their centers to schools at 5am to the respective examination centers.
He said there were extra arrangements that will oversee and monitor examinations with three teams from the larger Trans-Nzoia west, Kwanza and Trans-Nzoia East to monitor all distribution and exam centers saying the weather was friendly as there is no heavy down pour as used to be from previous years where the rains affected distribution of exams to various schools especially to those in Namanjalala.
Wamocho said only authorized persons will be available at examination centers this includes centers manager and principles from the examination centers are the ones authorized to collect exam scripts and only authorized teaching staff will be present at the said centers.
The county director also warned parents against visitation to the examination centers as it were before as well as teachers residing in school compounds to desist from going near the classes the examinations will be conducted from as their presence might be seen as trying to compromise examinations.
He however said there were few challenges affecting the smooth flow of examinations as there were few vehicles that were being used for transport and distribution of examination materials.