All 2018 KCPE candidates to join secondary school, Uhuru assures

President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that the government will ensure all pupils sitting this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam will get an opportunity to join secondary school.

Speaking on Monday, President Kenyatta urged parents not to exert too much pressure on children when it comes to grades saying that everyone will have a fair chance in life.

“Na tumesema, ndio watu wasicopy, ya kwamba, mtoto wa Standard 8, hata akipata grade gani, tutahakikisha tumemtafutia shule, aweze kuendelea na masomo yake, mpaka Form Four,” said President Kenyatta. (So that people don’t cheat, no matter the grade, every Standard 8 pupil will get a chance to continue with his/her education up to Form Four.)

“Mtoto ambaye amepita, awe amefanya mtihani wa Form Four, hakuna haja ya kumwekea pressure. Wacha afanye kulingana na uwezo wake, na vile amesaidiwa na Mungu. Wa kwenda university, ataenda university, yule ambaye hataweza kufika university, tutamsaidia, aende aingie technical college.”

(Let a child, no matter how bright, work according to their strengths and talents from God. Those who will go to University will proceed there, those who won’t make it, we will ensure they end up in Technical colleges and they can be the best farmers, drivers, singers, technicians…)

The Head of State, who was speaking during the commissioning of the new modernised KCC Sotik Milk Plant in Bomet County, urged parents to refrain from helping their children cheat in exams and only help them through encouragement and prayers.

He spoke as candidates began their 2018 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.

A total of 664,586 candidates on Monday morning began with oral exams; braille, French, German and Arabic.

They expect to sit other practicals this week, including the Kenya Sign Language, music and Home Science, until November 1 before starting the theories from November 5 to 29.

The 1,000,759 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates will on the other hand begin their exams on November 1.