The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has dismissed reports that some 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examiners left marking centres without being paid their coordination fees.
In a statement issued on Sunday, KNEC said its attention had been drawn to claims suggesting that some examiners departed before receiving payment.
The council clarified that all examiners who completed the marking exercise and left the centres have been fully paid.
“All examiners who have completed the marking exercise and left the marking centres have been fully paid their coordination dues,” KNEC clarified.
The clarification came hours after KCSE examiners downed their tools over unpaid allowances during the examination marking.
More than 800 examiners, who were marking the English paper 2 exams at Mary Hills Girls' High School, held demonstrations on Sunday, December 1, to demand their pay.
The examiners, who started the marking of the national examination three weeks ago, claim that the government has yet to pay their coordination allowance.
They stated that they will not participate in the marking process until the government pays them their dues.
According to the examiners, the government was supposed to pay them a total of Sh5,000 in coordination allowances.
KNEC noted that coordination fees have already been paid to examiners handling several papers, including Physics Paper 2, Biology Papers 1, 2 and 3, Agriculture Papers 1 and 2, Chemistry Paper 3, and Computer Studies Paper 2.
The examination body assured examiners that payment arrangements are in place, adding that all examiners for all papers will receive their coordination fees before leaving the marking centres.
KNEC reiterated its commitment to quality educational assessment and credible certification.
The disruption comes as the 2025 KCSE marking exercise is scheduled to conclude on Monday, December 15, and the results are set to be announced in January 2026.
The 2025 KCSE marking is scheduled to conclude on Monday, December 15, with results expected to be released in January 2026. This year’s examination attracted 996,078 candidates.
