KNEC opens recruitment for 2026 KCSE oral and practical examiners

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has begun recruiting assessors for the 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) oral and practical examinations, opening opportunities for qualified secondary school teachers and college tutors to take part in the national examination process.

In a recruitment notice issued on Tuesday, the examinations council announced that successful applicants will be engaged in the assessment of oral and practical examination papers and will receive on-the-job training during the exercise.

"KNEC is recruiting secondary school teachers and college tutors as assessors for the KCSE examination oral and practical papers. The professionals identified will be trained on the job during the assessment of the 2026 KCSE examination papers."

The council said the exercise is intended to bring more qualified professionals into its pool of assessors as preparations for the 2026 national examinations continue.

According to KNEC, assessors are responsible for evaluating candidates in subjects that require oral presentations, practical tasks and other forms of competency-based assessment. Their role is crucial in ensuring that candidates' performance is assessed accurately and consistently before KCSE results are released.

The recruitment will also help strengthen the council's capacity to handle the assessment of practical and oral papers while maintaining quality and fairness in the marking process.

Interested applicants have been directed to submit their applications through the official KNEC recruitment platform, where details on qualifications and application procedures have been provided.

"For more information on how to apply, visit the KNEC website via the link www.knec.ac.ke/careers."

KNEC further clarified that the recruitment is targeting new professionals and not those already listed in its assessor database.

"Teachers and tutors who are already in the KNEC database of assessors need not apply."

The council said applications will remain open until July 15, 2026, and urged eligible teachers and tutors to submit their applications before the deadline.

While announcing the recruitment, KNEC did not disclose the number of assessors it plans to engage for the 2026 examination cycle. However, it encouraged qualified educators interested in participating in the assessment process to apply through the designated platform.

Successful candidates will undergo practical training during the marking exercise, allowing them to gain experience in the procedures and standards used by the council when assessing oral and practical examination papers.

The recruitment forms part of KNEC's wider preparations for the 2026 national examinations and its efforts to maintain a skilled pool of assessors capable of supporting the administration and marking of national tests across the country.