Candidates admitted to hospitals and those held in correctional facilities are among learners sitting the 2026 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), as the National Assessments commenced across the country on Monday.
Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Migos Ogamba, oversaw the national roll-out of the Assessments, highlighting the flexibility of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework in accommodating learners facing exceptional circumstances.
Under the CBE guidelines, candidates affected by medical emergencies, illness or childbirth can undertake their assessments under special arrangements to ensure they are not disadvantaged in their grade transitions.
In Kiambu county, County Director of Education, Simon Wanjohi, said 56,970 candidates had registered for KPSEA, while 48,518 were expected to sit KJSEA in 461 examination centres across the county.
“We have registered a total of 56,970 KPSEA candidates and 48,518 KJSEA candidates in 461 examination centres, alongside 259 Special Needs Education learners requiring tailored assistance across the county,” Wanjohi said.
He said the county had recorded an increase of 7,785 candidates, compared to last year, reflecting a rise in the number of learners undertaking the assessments.
Wanjohi said two KJSEA candidates were admitted to Kijabe Mission Hospital, although one was critically ill and had been declared medically unfit to sit the examination by doctors.
The second candidate from Machakos county was undertaking her papers under the supervision of Kiambu education officials.
At Kiambu Level 5 Hospital and Kenyatta University Referral Hospital, two other candidates were also scheduled to sit their examinations from their hospital beds.
Wanjohi further revealed that two candidates from Embakasi North were sitting their national assessments in a correctional facility.
“The two were placed at the facility due to its close proximity to Kiambu’s education command centres,” he said.
He said multi-agency teams had put measures in place to ensure candidates undertaking their examinations outside regular centres were provided with secure and suitable environments.
Centre managers, head teachers, education officials and security personnel had coordinated with the respective hospitals and correctional facility, to oversee the process and safeguard examination integrity.
The Ministry of Education has reiterated its commitment to accommodating learners facing exceptional circumstances, while ensuring strict adherence to examination regulations.
Security arrangements have been tightened countrywide as the multi-day Assessments continue, with officials overseeing examination administration and compliance with established protocols.
The special arrangements seek to ensure eligible learners are not excluded from the national assessment process, because of medical emergencies or other exceptional circumstances.
