Kenya National Examinations Council has asked parents and guardians with candidates registered for the 2026 national exams to confirm their children’s registration details through a new SMS system aimed at improving accuracy before the examination period begins.
In a notice issued on Friday, April 17, KNEC said parents of learners registered for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) should verify registration information by sending the candidate’s assessment or index number to shortcode 20076.
The council explained that the exercise is meant to ensure all candidate records are correct and free from errors ahead of the national examinations. Parents and guardians are therefore required to go through the details that will be sent back and confirm that everything is accurate.
Once the SMS response is received, KNEC has asked parents to carefully check key personal details, including the correct spelling and order of names, gender, and date of birth. They are also expected to confirm the school where the candidate is registered, as well as citizenship status, indicated as either citizen (C) or non-citizen (N).
KNEC further noted that subject selection must be verified during the process. For KPSEA and KJSEA candidates, parents should ensure the correct choice between Kiswahili and Kenyan Sign Language (KSL), as well as the selected Religious Education option, which includes Christian Religious Education (CRE), Islamic Religious Education (IRE), or Hindu Religious Education (HRE). For KCSE candidates, attention should be given to confirming that all optional subjects have been correctly captured.
The council has set April 30 as the deadline for completion of the verification exercise.
"The deadline for confirmation is 30th April 2026. In case of any queries, please contact your Head of Institution," the notice read in part.
KNEC has said the process is important in preventing errors that could affect candidates during the examinations, urging parents to act early and avoid last-minute rush.
This latest directive comes weeks after the council also issued guidance for candidates who wish to repeat the KCSE examination, outlining both full and partial repeat options.
In that earlier notice issued on Friday, March 6, KNEC said individuals who previously sat the KCSE exam can register again either as full repeaters or partial repeaters.
According to the council, full repeaters must register for seven or more subjects. Those who meet this requirement will be awarded a mean grade and an official KCSE certificate upon completion of the examination.
On the other hand, partial repeaters will sit for fewer than seven subjects. These candidates will not receive a full certificate but will instead be issued with a results slip showing grades for the specific subjects they retake.
KNEC also clarified that repeat candidates are not allowed to add new subjects that they did not take in their previous KCSE attempt, meaning they must only register for subjects already done in the earlier sitting.
Candidates interested in repeating were directed to visit the nearest Sub-County Director of Education (SCDE) office for assistance in registration as private candidates.
The council added that the examination registration fee for all repeat candidates is Sh7,200, payable through the government online platform, eCitizen.
KNEC further stated that the deadline for registration for the 2026 KCSE examination is March 31, 2026, and warned that no extension will be given after the closing date.