The Kenya National Examinations Council, however, has been allocated only Sh9.9 billion in the current financial year, leaving it with a funding deficit of Sh6.71 billion.
By Maureen KinyanjuiKenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Deputy Secretary-General Hesbon Otieno said the ministry should have completed the exercise earlier to allow schools enough time to analyse learner assessment reports and guide them appropriately.
By Bradley BosireKNEC said only shortlisted applicants will be required to pay a training fee of Sh10,500. Instructions on how to make the payment will be shared through SMS and the KNEC application portal.
By Maureen KinyanjuiIn a statement issued on Thursday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) had completed the disbursement of the outstanding balances to the examiners' respective bank accounts following the release of funds by the National Treasury.
By David AbonyoThe verification comes as KNEC intensifies preparations for the administration of assessments under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), where continuous assessment contributes to a learner’s final score.
By Maureen KinyanjuiKNEC says the increase has been driven by awareness drives across the country and growing urgency among learners and adults who want to secure the KCSE certificate before the current system is phased out.
By Maureen KinyanjuiThis comes days after Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba acknowledged that the government is facing a Sh4.7 billion funding deficit needed to settle pending bills for examiners, supervisors, invigilators and other contracted staff under the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
By David AbonyoThe association acknowledged ongoing initiatives, such as the rollout of coding and the hiring of STEM teachers by the Teachers Service Commission, but emphasized that these measures remain introductory and fall short of developing deeper technical expertise.
By Maureen KinyanjuiTeachers and tutors who wish to apply must meet strict requirements. Applicants should be actively teaching the relevant subjects at the level being examined or higher. They must be registered with the Teachers Service Commission or the Public Service Commission and hold at least a Diploma in Education.
By David AbonyoKNEC dismissed claims that the grading model is confusing or designed to water down standards, warning schools against sharing what it described as false and misleading interpretations of results. The council said it had noted reports circulating in some schools showing aggregate scores and mean grades, which do not apply to KJSEA.
By Maureen KinyanjuiOgamba also addressed concerns that had emerged last month when some parents and school heads raised questions about possible fee changes under the Competency-Based Curriculum. In November, he dismissed any talk of revised charges, saying the ministry had not altered the rates set earlier.
By Maureen KinyanjuiNationally, the ministry’s data showed that 642,620 learners, representing 56.84 per cent of the total, were within the recommended age range of 14 to 15 years. Overall, 1,130,459 learners participated in the 2025 KJSEA, a key milestone in implementing the competency-based curriculum. Of these, 578,630 were male and 551,829 female, making up 51.19 per cent and 48.81 per cent respectively.
By Maureen KinyanjuiOgamba also revealed that girls recorded stronger results than boys in Exceeding Expectation in 10 of the 12 subjects assessed. He said the widest gap appeared in Kiswahili, where 64.86 per cent of girls exceeded expectations compared to 51.41 per cent of boys. Girls also led in CRE with 59.77 per cent compared to 48.39 per cent of boys.
By Bradley BosireReleasing the 2025 KJSEA results, Ogamba said the ministry was satisfied with how the assessments were carried out across the country, noting that teams on the ground acted quickly whenever challenges arose.
By Maureen KinyanjuiCreative Arts and Sports emerged as the best-performed area, with 96.84 percent of learners meeting or going beyond expectations. Agriculture followed closely at 96.2 percent, while Kiswahili and Social Studies posted 93.11 percent and 92.93 percent respectively.
By David AbonyoAccording to the ministry’s figures, 642,620 learners — 56.84 per cent — were within the recommended age of 14 to 15 years, which Ogamba said showed better alignment between learner age and their level of study.
By Bradley BosireEducation Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba confirmed that the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will release the 2025 KJSEA results on December 11, 2025. He stated that the national examinations are a key measure of a student’s readiness to transition into senior secondary schools.
By Maureen KinyanjuiThe Ministry of Education is set to release the 2025 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and KJSEA results in December, while KCSE results are scheduled for January 2026. This year, 996,078 candidates took KCSE, 1,298,089 pupils sat for KPSEA, and 1,130,669 learners completed KJSEA under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), marking the first national assessment for junior school students under the new system.
By Maureen KinyanjuiOgamba thanked candidates, teachers, security officers and members of the public for supporting the exercise so far. He urged Kenyans to stay alert and report any suspicious behaviour using KNEC’s toll-free numbers 0800721410 and 0800724900. Cases involving police misconduct can be reported to IPOA through toll-free line 1559.
By Bradley BosireDay school students will pay Sh9,374 annually, while those in special needs institutions will pay Sh37,210. The government will finance each student under the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) programme at Sh12,870 annually, a decrease from Sh22,244. Special needs learners will receive a higher allocation of Sh32,600 per learner.
By Ann NyamburaPS Bitok, who later visited the affected communities in Marakwet East, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling it a painful moment for the education sector.
By David AbonyoEducation Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said that learners in isolated villages would be relocated using air support where necessary to ensure they reach safer centres in time for their exams.
By Bradley BosireSpeaking on Wednesday, October 29, Ogamba said the release schedule is designed to ensure smooth processing and a timely transition for learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
By Bradley BosireInternal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo revealed that the National Command Centre for Examinations Security has been fully activated to coordinate real-time surveillance and response efforts across the country.
By Bradley BosireEducation Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the ministry, working closely with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), had ensured that all affected candidates were able to sit their exams without disruption.
By Bradley BosireThe Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has issued strict guidelines for supervisors, directing that containers with KPSEA and KJSEA papers be opened at 6 a.m., while KCSE containers will be opened at 7 a.m. countrywide.
By Samuel OtienoThe council noted that the shift is meant to prepare learners for a more standardized and efficient assessment format.
By Maureen KinyanjuiThe change, announced during the 2025–26 budget reading, marks the first step in shifting exam-related costs to families considered able to pay, starting with those in non-public schools.
By Maureen Kinyanjui