A Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidate on Friday collapsed and died under unclear circumstances in Siaya County.
The deceased, who was a student at Member Mixed Secondary School, met his death moments after he sat for his Biology practical paper.
The student was later identified as Frederick Juma.
Rarieda Sub-County Director of Education Elijah Adie confirmed the death of the student, saying the entire school is shocked by the incident. He also said that the deceased had been taken to Lwak Mission Hospital where he died after efforts to resuscitate him proved futile.
Adie also said that the principal of the school had informed him that the student was not in good health throughout the examination period.
“The boy had been unwell according to the school's principal Ms Eunice Juma,” said Mr Adie, as quoted by the Nation.
He also said that the principal had requested one of the teachers to take the student for treatment after picking the scripts from the students when they completed their biological practical.
“After delivering the scripts, the principal decided to go to the hospital to check the student’s progress only to find that he had died,” he added.
The deceased had been admitted to the same hospital a week before the examinations after he was diagnosed with pneumonia. The doctors at the facility confirmed that the student succumbed to acute pneumonia.
The body is currently lying at the Lwak Mission Hospital mortuary pending burial plans.