A KCSE candidate from Barsumat secondary school in Arror Marakwet West sub-county has died while his colleague in form three gone blind after they consumed an alcoholic substance.
However, there are conflicting statements as to whether the two took methanol from the school lab or chang'aa from the village.
The area sub-county director of education Evans Onyancha said the school's principal denied vehemently the possibility of the two candidates taking methanol from the school lab.
"The school principal assured me that all chemicals in the lab are intact and that the duo took chang'aa from the village on the weekend," Onyanya said.
Onyancha said the incident has cast a shadow on the national examinations which began smoothly on Tuesday.
The CEC in charge of health in the county, Kiprono Chepkok, said the student who survived is receiving treatment at Iten Referral Hospital after a referral for advanced treatment.
Chepkok said the victim told the health officers at the facility that he had consumed alcohol.
"If only he disclosed that he took methanol, he would have been treated accordingly since he was partially blind when he was rushed to the dispensary. It's only later that someone came in and said that he had taken methanol but he had already gone blind," he said.
Chepkok said he had contacted the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital to assist if there are other students who may have consumed the lethal substance.
He urged students who may have consumed the substance to come forward for detoxification.