By RHODA ODHIAMBO

Some 289 refugee candidates failed to sit for this year’s KCSE and KCPE exams.

One hundred and sixty-nine of those who missed the exams due to the ongoing voluntarily repatriation exercise were KCSE candidates.

“Those who are still sitting for the exams are just doing it for the sake [of finishing it]. They do not have any morale because they know once they finish the exam they are going home because the camp will be closed in the next six months.” Ali Buthul, chief education Officer, Dadaab Sub County told the Star.

Most of the KCSE candidates who did not sit for the exams were in Hagadera camp (74), while in Dagahaley camp, 61 KCPE candidates missed the exams.

Thirty-four elderly persons also missed the exam.

“As educationists we are worried about fate of these children when they go back to Somalia [since it] does not have a unified curriculum,” Buthul said.

“We fear that that they won’t be able to complete their education. There might be a break in their norm which will interfere in their education,” he added.

Those who managed to sit for the exams were grateful for getting the opportunity to learn and have a certificate with their names on it.

“When I came to the camp in 2011 I only knew Somali, but now I can speak in English and Kiswahili. I have also learnt a lot of things in school that I was not able to learn back home in Somalia,” Samiro Duale said.

“If the time comes for me to leave the camp I will go as a happy child because I finally have one document with my name,” Naji Mohammed said.

“To Kenyan children this document is gate pass to secondary school but to me this might be the only thing I have with my own name. This is because if I go back home I know that I will not go back to school because the education system is not free like Kenya’s,” Mohammed added.

“If the President of Kenya came here to the camps I would ask him if he would allow me and my friends to finish out education so that by the time we are going back home, the country is peaceful and we can be able to help our relatives live a better life.” Mohamed Ibrahim Daud added.

The candidates sat for their exams at Golden Elite Primary School in Ifo two camp.

Save the Children Area Manager Caleb Odhiambo said that the candidates were distracted while studying for their exams after the government announced that they were going to close the camp by the end of this month.

“Those who are still in the camps fear that they might be forcefully evicted from where they are and they are in dilemma of whether to go to Somalia or continue with their education. They have also lost hope because their parents are telling them that their time to move is getting closer which is also affected them,” Caleb said.

A total of 4,555 candidates were registered for this year’s exams. 3,409 them were KCPE candidates and 1,146 were KCSE candidates.

Source: The Star