Kisii university students recount what they undergo in the exam commencement period. Accusations surround the academic office over criteria used in issuance of exam cards. Self sponsored students fell victim to circumstance as they were locked out for not clearing their balance to nil. There is a longstanding tradition for self sponsored students to be given exam cards after paying three quarters of the semester fees. This was not the case to some unlucky students who cursed the exam office for such intransigeance. Benard Magetto, third year, missed his second exam after he failed to secure an exam card even though his parents struggled to solicit for Ksh 55,000 to meet his semester fees. "It pains me so much, because this will be my third deferment of exams, my colleagues are almost graduating but what I am going through, only God understands. I am from a humble background atop of which my university education is marred with problems due to financial constraints" he said emotionally. The Head of exam department, Mr. Stephen Mokaya is accused of not considering needy students who are faced with fee problems by the student core. "Indeed Mr. Mokaya's hard stance has caused some of us to miss exams despite attending all the lectures. I had a balance of Ksh. 500 but if not for my friends I would have missed my end semester exams." A student said. The university president, Rodgers Nyanumba, said that student union is in the process to salvage students who will be burdened by less than Ksh 5000 balance to be able to be given exam cards. "Indeed it is painful for students to miss exams; we are in the process to come up with a kind of a loaning program which will enable students to get soft loans in a bid to curb exam fee stress." He said

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