Candidates overcome trauma of bandit attacks to post good results

As the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam candidates prepared themselves for the test, those in bandit havens of North Rift were a worried lot after they were moved to safer schools.

In a region where learners frequently have to duck under desks to escape flying bullets, passing a national exam is no mean feat. Many pupils from the region excelled despite the difficult circumstances.

Marion Jepchirchir, 14, is among the top scorers in the country after posting 417 marks. She sat the exam at St Benedict’s School of Peace Primary school in Arror, Elgeyo-Marakwet County.

On multiple occasions, the learners would seek refuge in the area Catholic priest’s house.

“We skipped learning as we sought safety and I’m grateful for the results,” said Marion, who hopes to join Alliance Girls High School in her journey to becoming a neurosurgeon.

Marion recalled an incident last year when bandits attacked the neighbouring Arror Girls Secondary School, and the pupils in her school spent the whole afternoon lying on the floors of their classrooms. 

“Our parents, after seeing our plight, allowed us to board in the school. This minimised our movement and enabled us to recover lost time,” she recalled.

Frequent attacks

She is among hundreds of candidates who sat the 2021 KCPE exams in the troubled Baringo North, Baringo South and Kerio Valley areas, with a good number of schools posting good performance.

Her mother, Ms Florence Kimosop, described Marion as diligent, disciplined and hardworking.

Learning in many schools in the region has often been interrupted by banditry, prompting the Kenya National Examination Council to merge several examination centres in Baringo and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties to ensure candidates’ safety.

In Baringo, among the schools that performed well were Kapindasum Primary in Baringo South, where the top candidate, Wilson Kandie, scored 367 marks. More than 20 out of the 26 learners scored more than 300 marks.

The institution closed and merged with the neighbouring Chemorong’ion Primary because of the frequent attacks.

Other pupils that performed well are Rachael Kimosop (365), Allan Kibowen (363), Evalyne Kandagor (357), Mary Kipararor (346), Emmanuel Koech (342), Sharon Jeruto (340), Hillary Kiptis (336), Victor Mursoi (328) and Kevin Cherogony (327).

Head teacher Elijah Kiptoon said the school recorded an improvement from last year.

“I lack words to celebrate my candidates because I didn’t expect [them to] perform this well owing to the insecurity.” 

Volatile region

Mr Kiptoon said the school has been opening and closing since 2012 due to attacks. When it partially reopened in 2019, more than 12 security officers were deployed to ensure learners’ safety.

Kasiela and Sinoni primary schools in Baringo had their candidates moved a day to the exam to the safer Mochongoi Secondary School, more than 20km away. 

The government provided the candidates with food and boarding for the three days they sat the tests. Sinoni was initially supposed to be an exam centre hosting more than 40 candidates.

Other schools that had candidates moved to safer areas are Chebinyiny, Kapkechir, Koitilil, Karne, Tuiyotich, Kapindasum and Arabal in Baringo South and Kapturo in Baringo North. 

Pupils in the latter school sat their exams at the neighbouring Toboroi Primary.

Another school in the volatile region that recorded good results is Tuluk Primary in Baringo North with a mean grade of 290.  Purity Amdany scored 344 marks, Rotich Katuwet (341) and Kaptum Alex (334).

Kagir school in the same sub-county, had a mean grade of 260. The top learner Kiplal Kukat scored 307 marks while Joan Kaptum was second with 303.

Mr Richard Chepchomei, a parent, asked government to consider sponsoring learners from the schools for secondary education.