The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Migos, has directed that the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams continue as scheduled despite Friday, November 1, being declared a public holiday.
"The Ministry of Education wishes to inform the public that the declaration of the Holiday will not interrupt the ongoing KCSE examinations papers scheduled for Friday 1st November 2024," part of the notice by Julius Migos read.
This is after acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi Gazetted that Friday 1 will be a public holiday in honor of Deputy President Nominee Kithure Kindiki's swearing-in.
"It is notified for the general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Public Holidays Act and sections 3 (b) and 12 (3) of the Assumption of Office of President Act, declares Friday, the 1st November 2024, to be a public holiday, being the date of the swearing-in of the Deputy President-designate," read the notice in part.
The Ministry has also directed all the members of the Multi-Agency Examinations Administration Team to report to work as usual to facilitate the smooth running of the examination process.
"All members of the Multi-Agency Examinations Administration Team are instructed to report to work as scheduled to ensure that all examination activities of the day are well executed in line with the Ministry Education guidelines," reads part of the directive from CS Migos.
CS Ogamba further clarified that the directive also applies to all other basic education institutions that are in session.
The candidates are expected to sit for the Home Science – Clothing Construction, Art and Design, Power Mechanics, and Computer Studies practicals on Friday 1.
The Ministry of Education set new guidelines for the 2024 national examinations aimed at improving efficiency and maintaining integrity values that are mostly compromised during the exams.
Among the measures are the personalization of the examination papers to ensure each is unique to a candidate, the rotation of supervisors; as well as a ban on phones for the invigilators, center managers, and candidates during exams.
The exams which began on October 22 are expected to run through the month of November and end on 22.
Kithure Kindiki's swearing-in follows a court order by a three-judge bench, comprising Lady Justice Freda Mugambi, Justice Eric Ogola, and Justice Anthony Mrima, on Thursday to lift earlier conservatory orders that had blocked the constitutional process from proceeding.
