Louise Balle has been writing Web articles since 2004, covering everything from business promotion to subjects on beauty. Her work can be found on various websites. She has a small-business background and experience as a layout and graphics designer for Web and book projects.

Writing professionally since 2004, Charmayne Smith focuses on corporate materials such as training manuals, business plans, grant applications and technical manuals. Smith's articles have appeared in the "Houston Chronicle" and on various websites, drawing on her extensive experience in corporate management and property/casualty insurance.

Details of how national examinations will be conducted will be known tomorrow during a  meeting to be chaired by Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha (pictured) and his Interior counterpart Fred Matiang'i.

Coming only three weeks to the exams, the meeting will discuss the administration of the tests and how to secure test materials.

Top security and Ministry of Education officials will attend the meeting to be held at the Kenya School of Government in Lower Kabete, Nairobi.

It is expected that Prof Magoha and Dr Matiang'i will give a national examination roadmap, complete with new measures to be employed in the management of the tests in light of Covid-19 challenges.

The biggest headache will be how to manage huge crowds at the containers as officials pick up and drop off papers.

All centre managers, who are also school heads, pick up and drop off examination question papers during the entire period of national examinations.

A total of 479 containers will be used to store examination materials, according to a Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) report.

The Standard established that during tomorrow's meeting, security officials will be given keys to the metallic containers ahead of the tests.

Some 1,088,986 candidates will sit the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), while another 699,745 will sit the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCPE) exams.

The exams were moved from the traditional October/November period to March/April after lengthy school closures to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.

The revised timetables show KCPE will start on March 22, just two days after the end of the third term. The three-day exams will end on March 24, one day before the start of KCSE exams. The Form Four national exams will last three weeks and three days.

Knec requested for an additional Sh400 million for smooth administration of exams in light of Covid 19 pandemic.

The type of pet you insure is only one factor in determining your pet insurance costs. For example, the average cost of pet insurance for a dog is $48 per month and $28 per month for a cat, according to Forbes Advisor’s analysis. That’s based on a policy with $5,000 of annual coverage, a $250 deductible and an 80% reimbursement level.

Here are some other common factors that determine pet insurance costs.

Annual Maximum, Deductible and Reimbursement Level

These are the three main variables that determine how much reimbursement you’ll get if you file a pet insurance claim: annual maximum, deductible amount and reimbursement percentage. Pet insurance will cost more if you choose a high annual maximum, low deductible and/or high reimbursement level.

Pet’s Age

Younger pets are typically cheaper to insure than older pets. That’s because older pets are more likely to have injuries and illnesses, which means higher vet bills. Those higher insurance claims are passed on to policyholders in the form of higher pet insurance premiums. They found the best prices for pet insurance are after a pet’s first birthday until around age six.

Pet’s Breed

Certain breeds are predisposed to hereditary problems and illnesses, which could result in more vet visits and higher medical costs.

For example, a small mixed breed dog costs $33 per month to insure compared to $76 per month for a French bulldog, according to a Forbes Advisor analysis of the most expensive dogs to insure.

Pet’s Gender

Pet insurance companies have found that female pets usually have fewer claims compared to males, so some insurers use pet gender in pricing. Male pets cost about 5% more than females for pet insurance, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Your Location

The average cost for a veterinarian visit is about $61, based on Forbes Advisor’s analysis. Since average vet costs vary around the country, insurers account for that when setting rates.

PLANS to have a mandatory question on Scottish literature in Higher English exams will undermine a wider aim to encourage greater study of Scottish classics, education unions have warned.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said the Government's plan to include at least one question on a Scottish novel, play or poem in the exams from 2014/15 would encourage more school staff merely to "teach to the test".