Over 170,000 candidates will today begin  the Primary Leaving Examinations.According to Emmanuel Muvunyi, the Deputy Director General, Examinations and Accreditation at the Rwanda Education Board (REB), the number of candidates has increased  from 167386 candidates last year, representing  a 6.6 percent increase.   Muvunyi said that preparations for the examinations are moving as planned.   "The examinations are scheduled to commence today. The examination materials arrived at the centres on Sunday,” Muvunyi told The New Times yesterday. The examination materials were distributed to all the 726 examination centres countrywide with invigilators having already arrived at their designated centres, according to Muvunyi He said  REB will do its best to ensure that exams are conducted successfully despite the on going heavy rains across the country.   "We do everything in our means to support every registered candidate  to sit for their exams.  We must ensure that examination regulations and ethics are adhered to whatever the case.  We do not compromise the examinations standards,” he warned.He added that measures are  in place to assist any candidate who develops a problem during the examination period. Some of the candidates interviewed by The New Times expressed their readiness for the exams."I am prepared and hope to pass. I am good at all subjects apart from mathematics. However, I want to study sciences in secondary because my dream is to become a Doctor,” Alain Mugisha Mukiza, a pupil at Saint Paul International School in Kigali said.Willy Rukundo, a pupil at the same school echoed similar optimism. "I am only poor in English but I am ready. I spent   a long time  revising in preparation for the exams. I hope I will pass and  pursue my dream of becoming a pilot.”Placide Umurame, a teacher at a Kadasumbwa Primary in Rwamagana District said the candidates at this school are ready to sit for the exams."We completed the syllabus in time  and the pupils are ready to sit the exams,” said Umurame.The candidates will sit for three main  examinations papers including mathematics, sciences and languages. The examinations end on November 8.