Francis Lesilampa, a teacher in Samburu, has stepped in to babysit a KCSE candidate's baby, allowing the mother to sit her examination uninterrupted at Marijo Secondary School.
The gesture means the candidate can focus on her papers while her child is cared for.
For many young mothers sitting national exams, childcare is a major worry.
Without someone to hold the baby, a mother may be forced to choose between comforting her child and concentrating on her paper.
This year's KCSE has drawn a record candidature.
According to Capital FM, 1,048,355 candidates registered, the first time the number has exceeded one million.
Young mothers have long sat the exam alongside their peers.
In a past Standard report from Kakamega, a candidate breastfed her three-month-old baby between papers, then handed the child back to a teacher-caregiver before returning to class.
Similar acts of kindness have gone viral in the past.
A photo of Inspector Felix Otieno Omollo holding a KCSE candidate's child drew praise from Kenyans online.
Another officer, Benjamin Mulei Muswii, also hit national headlines after babysitting a KCSE candidate's child.
Such moments highlight the role teachers and communities play in keeping young mothers in school.
A Standard report previously profiled a chief and a teacher working to keep teenage mothers in school in Samburu.
The KCSE is a key gateway to tertiary education and other post-school opportunities.
The 2027 KCSE will be the final national secondary examination under the 8-4-4 system, which has been in place since 1985.
Teachers like Lesilampa often go beyond the classroom to support learners.
His gesture, small as it may seem, could make the difference between a distracted candidate and one who sits her papers with a clear mind.
The act is a reminder that a school community can be a safety net for girls who might otherwise be forced out of education.
For one Marijo candidate, that support meant she could face her papers fully undistracted.
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