Kenya is set to roll out registration for the 2026 national examinations beginning February 16, with authorities projecting an unprecedented 3.7 million learners to sit the assessments.
The Kenya National Examinations Council expects the upcoming cycle to mark the highest number of candidates ever handled in the country, reflecting rising enrolment across primary, junior, and secondary levels.
The exercise will cover the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment, the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment, and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.
The launch of the registration period was held on Friday, February 13, at New Mitihani House in Nairobi, where Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba assured schools and parents that safeguards have been introduced to protect every learner’s right to sit the examinations.
“Our officers, including those from the Kenya National Examinations Council, have been instructed to ensure that the registration process is conducted efficiently and correctly, to avert the risk of any learner being left out,” Ogamba said.
Last year, KNEC managed examinations and assessments for 3,429,683 learners, the highest number at the time. The council now expects that figure to increase in 2026, largely due to a rise in candidates preparing for KCSE.
“For 2026, based on previous candidature trends and the anticipated upsurge of candidates enrolling for the KCSE examination, KNEC anticipates to register about 3,700,000 in 2026,” said KNEC chief executive officer David Njegere.
Under the official timetable, registration for KPSEA will run from February 16 to March 16. KJSEA registration is scheduled between March 2 and March 31, while KCSE candidates will be registered from February 16 through March 31.
Institutions have been directed to upload learner details within the stated timelines and confirm accuracy before submission.
Ogamba pointed out that previous registration windows were marred by mistakes that disadvantaged learners. In some cases, school heads submitted incorrect biodata, including wrong gender entries, while others failed to capture certain candidates altogether.
“These errors unduly and unfairly disenfranchise learners, and also expose the government to serious legal risks. We have to avert them at all costs,” he said. “In fact, for the 2026 cycle, we will identify heads of institutions that will have registration-related errors for appropriate disciplinary action by the Teachers Service Commission.”
Njegere warned that incorrect records can follow a learner through multiple assessment stages and eventually affect placement.
“Registration errors have far-reaching implications on the young learners. For instance, when a school indicates the wrong gender for a learner and the error goes uncorrected from Grade 3, through KPSEA, to KJSEA, such a learner will be placed in a school of the opposite gender,” he said.
The council confirmed that once the current registration phase is concluded, it will activate the portal for Grade 10 learners to enroll for School-Based Assessments.
According to Ogamba, the rollout of Senior School under the competency-based pathway is expected to reshape how learners are assessed, requiring the education sector to align systems in advance.
Preparatory work for the 2026 cycle is already in progress. Njegere said this includes configuring online platforms, developing examination timetables, issuing circulars, carrying out needs assessments, and finalising the Grade 10 registration framework.
“We are hereby calling upon the associations to support the process by ensuring that all heads of institutions and parents/guardians presenting candidates for KPSEA, KJSEA and KCSE examination are sensitised on the need to ensure accurate and timely registration of all their candidates,” he said.
KNEC chairman Julius Nyabundi appealed to stakeholders to work closely with the council to guarantee smooth implementation.
“We therefore will be engaging with you more throughout the administration cycle. We wish to assure you all that we will put in place all the possible measures to deliver the 2026 assessments and examinations successfully,” Nyabundi said.
At the same time, Ogamba reported that the move to Grade 10 is almost complete, standing at 99 per cent. He credited the progress to the presidential directive that no learner should miss admission due to lack of school fees or uniform, noting that joint efforts across agencies are ongoing to ensure every eligible student transitions without barriers.
