A total of 1,180 candidates will have their 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results cancelled due to involvement in examination irregularities, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has confirmed.
Speaking during the release of the results at AIC Chebisaas High School in Eldoret, Ogamba stressed that safeguarding the integrity of national exams remains a top priority for the government.
He reported that 993,226 candidates sat the 2025 KCSE in 10,765 secondary schools, with female students numbering 501,214, slightly surpassing the 492,012 male candidates for the second year in a row.
“Examinations and assessments have always stood at the heart of education. They deserve recognition not merely as a measure of learning, but as a compass that guides the nation’s future,” Ogamba said.
Ogamba noted that the exams were conducted under strict supervision, with center managers, supervisors, invigilators, and security personnel ensuring adherence to examination standards.
This year’s KCSE also marks Kenya’s transition to competency-based assessment (CBA), a system that prioritizes practical skills, values, and applied knowledge over rote memorization.
“The transition to competency-based assessment marks a decisive step forward, one that shifts our focus from broad memorization to the demonstration of skills, values, and knowledge that empower learners to thrive in the 21st Century,” Ogamba added.
To support the rollout of CBA, the government recruited 24,000 new teachers and promoted over 25,000 others. In addition, 23,000 classrooms and 1,600 laboratories have been constructed to strengthen practical learning and improve access to quality education.
On performance, Ogamba said 1,932 candidates, representing 0.19 percent of the total, achieved an overall mean grade of A, up from 1,693 in 2024. The number of students qualifying for direct university entry, with a grade of C+ and above, rose to 270,750 or 27.18 percent, compared to 25.53 percent last year.
Despite these gains, Ogamba reiterated that examination malpractice will not be tolerated. “At the conclusion of the KCSE examination, 1,180 candidates were found to have been involved in examination irregularities. Consequently, and in line with applicable law and regulations, their examination results will be cancelled,” he stated.
He directed that candidates can access their individual results immediately online through the official Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) portal using their registered index numbers and names.
Ogamba concluded by wishing all students success in their future endeavors and urged continued dedication to reforms that uphold credibility, fairness, and quality in Kenya’s education system.
