More than 5,700 candidates sought late registration for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination after the 2025 registration window had already closed, exposing lapses by some schools in declaring eligible learners on time.
The Kenya National Examinations Council confirmed it received 5,743 requests from both public and private institutions once the portal was shut.
Chief Executive Officer David Njengere disclosed that in several instances, school heads only reported unregistered candidates after facing pressure from parents and heightened attention from the media.
“I however wish to point out that KNEC received a total of 5,743 requests for late registration from both public and private schools after closure of the portals in 2025. In some of the cases, the Heads of Institutions did not declare their unregistered candidates until pressure mounted from parents and media,” Njengere said.
He stressed that the registration stage is not a routine formality but a central step that guides preparation and coordination of national assessments and examinations. According to him, mistakes made at this point can affect learners long after the process is completed.
“It is important for Heads of Institutions to appreciate that registration forms the basis of all planning for assessments and examinations for KNEC and the Ministry at large. Additionally, registration errors have far-reaching implications on the young learners,” he said.
Njengere pointed to errors in learner information, including incorrect gender details, as examples of issues that can escalate if not corrected early. Such mistakes, if carried forward from lower classes through successive assessments, may eventually lead to placement problems at the secondary school level.
“For instance, when a school indicates the wrong gender for a learner and the error goes uncorrected, such a learner may end up being placed in a school of the opposite gender,” he explained.
The examinations council is now urging school associations, parents, and guardians to take a more active role in ensuring that all candidates are registered within set timelines and that their details are captured accurately to avoid unnecessary complications.
“We are hereby calling upon the Associations to support the process by ensuring that all Heads of Institutions and parents/guardians presenting candidates for national examinations are sensitised on the need to ensure accurate and timely registration of all their candidates,” Njengere said.
