The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education - KCPE exam kicked off Tuesday morning without major problems.

Some areas reported delays in arrival of papers and security personnel but eventually took off without wasting much time.

In Nairobi, most schools began the exam on schedule with teachers and students expressing optimism that their schools would perform well.

Meanwhile, twenty four adult learners are among 5,004 candidates who started their KCPE examinations in Baringo and Marigat districts.

Baringo District Education Officer, Edward Wanaswa, said all the 186 centres received the examination materials on time and by 8.30am all the candidates, except two from Mukutani division whose whereabouts were unknown, started the Mathematics paper.

Mr. Wanaswa said cooperation from government departments and parastatals, that provided vehicles, enabled transportation of the examination materials smooth.

He also confirmed that adequate security was in place in all areas synonymous with insecurity due to cattle rustling to ensure the candidates sat their examinations without fear.

The District Adult Education Officer, George Orwa, said the adult learners sitting the examinations increased from 24 last year, adding that plans to start non formal classes in Kapsoo and Kabarnet to enable adult learners continue with secondary school education were complete.

In Baringo North, 3024 candidates are sitting for their KCPE examinations this year, said the area District Education Officer, Francis Shikanda, who added that the exercise started without any hitches.

Elsewhere, a seventy four year-old inmate is among thirty inmates at the Naivasha G.K prison seating for KCPE exams.

The inmate Lazarus Kundu who is serving ten years for defilement expressed his confidence that he would perform well despite his age.

"I never got a chance to seat for the exams but the prison authorities have given me this chance and I will use it to prove that the aged can do it also,"

This is the second year in a row that Naivasha prison is producing an elderly inmate for the exam with 84-year-old Timothy Kamau breaking the record last year.

According to the prison welfare officer Mr Jackson Kimutai, the number of inmates seating for the national exam had reduced from 38 to 30.

He said that among those seating for the exams were two inmates on life sentence who included the youngest candidate Muthomi Kithoo who is 16 years old serving ten years for defilement.

"The problems are the same just like other years where we have faced shortages in personnel and learning materials,"

The area district education officer Mr Mathew Aboka said that 7,454 candidates had been registered in the district for this year's exam.

Among the candidates are 3939 boys and 3513 girls adding that the number included IDPs who had relocated to the town.

"We have 114 exam centers and we don't anticipate any hiccups despite the rains pounding parts of the district,"