It's been a very long day today. The exam season has started early and our oldest pupils in the primary school are, yet again, being put through their paces. In November they will be taking an exam called the KCPE, (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education), so they have started practising now!
We were up at just before six this morning so the pupils would have time to have some breakfast and then walk to a school quite close to our place to sit their exams, (the zonal mocks). There are about twenty three schools in our zone and it's a very competetive business. Quite why our pupils had to go to another school to take the exams I don't know. Probably to avoid cheating. Cheating in public exams is an annual scandal in Kenya. The education minister has just made a major speech about his plans to eradicate cheating in the exams.
Because it was a very early start and the 'porridge', (don't ask – it looks disgusting but is full of goodness and the kids like it), wasn't ready. Fortunately there were some eggs and bread in my house so it ended up with tea and eggy bread all round before the pupls set off on their exodus to Nyapara school. In true TIA, (This Is Africa), fashion there was a short discussion between Mary and the Standard 8 teacher about how the children would be fed at lunchtime. It was easily resolved. The Landrover has just discovered a new role as a 'meals on wheels' service provider. It lumbered off up the road at lunchtime loaded up with big pots, (sufurias), containing eggs; ugali and sukuma wiki. It did make me wonder what arrangements would be made for pupils from other schools. I'm sure I could live here for ten more years and still not understand the logic behind most of the arrangements that are made about standard 8 exams.
On a positive note the puils did say they thought the exam had been fairly easy and that they thought they would do well on it. Time will tell. At least they know what's in store a little bit better now
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