The 2017 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam will be marked by new equipment purchased by the government at Sh100 Million.
Over one million student answer sheets will be processed by 20 Optical Mark Readers (OMP) and the final score assigned accordingly.
KCPE exams are mainly categorised by multiple-choice questions where students are required to shade the correct answer on a separate answer sheet.
[caption caption="KNEC Chairman Prof. George Magoha"]
[/caption]
Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Chairman Prof. George Magoha explained that the measure will speed up the marking process.
The Ministry of Education had earlier expressed an intention to release the 2017 KCPE results before the start of the 2018 school year.
Speaking from Nyamira County, the KNEC Chair further explained that the plan will reduce the errors experienced when examiners mark the papers.
Prof. Magoha had conducted an impromptu visit to Egesieri Primary Schools as the KCPE candidates sat for their first paper.
The National examiner also dispelled reports that had indicated that the exam failed to kick off in parts of the country.
Social media posts had suggested that five schools in Fafi constituency, Garissa county, had not conducted the exams due to political interference.
The national exam will end on Thursday as the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams continue.
[caption caption="File image of candidates in an exam room"]
[/caption]
