A family in Homa Bay County is mourning the death of their 17‑year‑old daughter, who passed away moments after sitting her first Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) papers.

The student attended Alaru Central Mixed Senior School in Rachuonyo West Sub‑County and died on Monday, 2 November, shortly after completing English Paper 1 and Chemistry Paper 1.

According to her father, she developed severe chest pains on the evening of the exam, prompting teachers to call the family and for her to be rushed to a hospital where she died while receiving treatment.

Preliminary reports indicate the teenager had shown signs of illness earlier in the day, leading the school principal to inform her father of her deteriorating condition before she was taken to the hospital.

The family disclosed that the girl had a history of illness, though specific medical details have not been released, and that financial challenges had affected her education, with aspirations to become a lawyer.

The incident occurred on the opening day of the KCSE examinations, when 1,048,355 candidates across Kenya began the three‑week written exams, starting with English Paper 1 in the morning and Chemistry Paper 1 in the afternoon.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba confirmed that the examinations will continue as scheduled until 20 November, after which marking will commence, and noted that security measures for exam materials have been strengthened.