Category: Education

A family is mourning the death of their Form Four daughter who died shortly after sitting her first Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination papers.

The family of David Ogweno is grieving the loss of Congestina Achieng, a student at Alaro Central Secondary School in Kanyaliech village, Koyugi sub-location, Kibiri Ward, Karachuonyo Constituency in Homa Bay.

The candidate died on Monday evening after complaining of severe chest pains, hours after completing her first two examination papers.

Earlier that day, teachers had noticed that she was visibly unwell during the examinations and contacted her parents, who rushed to check on her.

Her father, Ogweno, said he received a call from the school principal asking him to attend to his daughter after she had sat for the first two papers.

"Her condition worsened rapidly. We rushed her to Termary Hospital but unfortunately she passed away. It is very painful," he said.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Ogweno said the family had struggled to educate Achieng alongside her siblings, adding that one of his other children was studying at Tom Mboya University.

He said Achieng had aspired to become a lawyer and viewed the national examinations as a stepping stone towards improving her family's circumstances.

"She was a brilliant child and we hoped she was going to pass exams. I am perturbed Achieng is no more," he said.

Her mother, Pamela Atieno, said the teenager had been unwell since the previous week and had complained of chest pains.

"She complained of chest pains, and I bought her some over-the-counter medicine to relieve the pain so she could sit for the national exams. I was later called and told she could no longer continue," Atieno said.

Her teachers, Isaiah Opere and Austine Achina, described Achieng as an exemplary and disciplined student who was well behaved.

"She was gentle, composed, and well-behaved. She was never once in trouble or punished for misconduct," Opere said.

Her body was taken to the Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.

Uganda's Makerere University has launched an immediate review of security and event management protocols following an incident in which a former student stripped naked during the institution's Freshers' Ball.

The university said on Tuesday that it was reviewing security arrangements for all university-sanctioned social events to prevent a recurrence of the incident, which attracted widespread attention after videos circulated on social media.

In a statement, Dean of Students Dr Winifred Kabumbuli said the university had noted with concern the conduct of the former student during the event held on October 31 at the university grounds.

"The university wishes to clarify that it does not condone any conduct that undermines the values, principles and standards of behaviour expected of members of the university community," she said.

The university also clarified that the woman involved was not a newly admitted student, as had been suggested in some public discussions, but a former student.

It explained that the Freshers' Ball is traditionally organised as a public event, attracting different stakeholders, including alumni and members of the general public.

The incident occurred when the woman climbed onto a table in the stage area and removed her clothes completely as a cheering crowd watched and recorded the spectacle.

She continued dancing before she was eventually pulled down from the platform.

The footage triggered widespread criticism on social media, with users questioning how such an incident could occur at an event hosted on university grounds.

Following the incident, university management announced the indefinite suspension of campus social events, including the Freshers' Ball, Porridge Nights and Bazaars.

The security review announced on Tuesday signals an additional response aimed at tightening controls over university-sanctioned gatherings.

The university also acknowledged an appeal by the woman's family asking members of the public to stop circulating videos and photographs of the incident.

Makerere said it remained committed to providing a safe, inclusive and dignified environment for its students and other stakeholders.

The Freshers' Ball is among the social activities traditionally associated with the beginning of the academic year at the premier institution, bringing together new students, continuing students, alumni and members of the public.

The Ministry of Education is on high alert over the risk of examination papers being exposed before the official start time as the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) written tests entered their second day on Tuesday.

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has warned examination officials against carrying mobile phones into examination rooms, citing the risk of sharing examination questions before candidates are allowed to begin writing.

In a public notice, KNEC chief executive officer David Njengere directed centre managers, supervisors, invigilators and security personnel not to enter examination rooms with mobile phones while examination sessions are in progress.

He said the gadgets should be switched off and secured in lockers outside the examination rooms.

In a further measure to prevent technology-enabled cheating and possible leakage of examination content, candidates have also been barred from wearing wristwatches inside examination rooms.

Modern smartwatches and connected devices can store notes, receive messages, access the internet or pair with concealed earpieces to facilitate the transmission of answers during examinations.

KNEC has instructed centre managers to ensure that every examination room has a wall clock to enable candidates to monitor time and manage the duration allocated to each paper.

English and Chemistry were the first papers administered on Monday, followed by Mathematics and English Comprehension on Tuesday.

Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa said the stricter measures were intended to protect the integrity of the national examinations and prevent any compromise in their administration.

Centre managers are required to collect examination papers for their respective centres at exactly 7am. Any attempt to open examination containers before the designated time triggers an alert at KNEC headquarters.

"There's no way you can open earlier. If you attempt, the Kenya National Examinations Council will see that you have actually tried to open before the time," Ololtuaa said.

A record 1,048,355 candidates are sitting the examinations across the country.

Although no major incident has so far been reported, the Ministry of Education has acknowledged that examination malpractice remains a major concern despite heightened surveillance and tighter controls.

Impersonation, collusion and possession of unauthorised materials inside examination rooms remain among the offences authorities are seeking to prevent.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said examination integrity was critical to maintaining the credibility of Kenya's academic qualifications and global reputation.

"It's not for nothing that we said we want our exams to be free of those malpractices. This is because a country whose examinations are not credible means certificates that people hold from that country are not respected," he said.

To facilitate prompt reporting and enquiries relating to examination administration, KNEC has provided three telephone contacts through which the public can reach its call centre.

The centre operates around the clock and can be reached through the toll-free numbers 0800-721-410 and 0800-724-900, or its direct non-toll-free line, 0719-093-000.

This is the second-last KCSE examination as Kenya prepares to complete the transition from the 8-4-4 system to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum in 2027.