Smooth Start Promised as 2025 KCSE Exams Begin Nationwide

On Monday, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations were officially inaugurated and this is a very important academic milestone to almost one million students in the country. The exams were inaugurated nationally in Matuga Constituency, Kwale County, under the oversight of Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba who presided over the opening of the first national examination container, which marked the opening of the three weeks exercise.
There are 996,078 candidates who are sitting this year KCSE which is the representative of thousands of schools in the country. CS Ogamba also confirmed the commitment of the government to provide a credible, fair, and transparent examination process and affirmed that there are stringent measures that have been taken to ensure integrity and eliminate malpractice.
The CS states that the Ministry of Education has tightened the security of exams in all the counties. This involves the introduction of more security personnel, real time monitoring system, and increased logistics to make sure that examination materials are securely delivered to all examination centres including the remote ones and the flood prone areas.
Ogamba said that they have done all possible to ensure that the exams proceed in a smooth and interference free manner, adding that the government is on the lookout to any form of interruption especially since it is the season of heavy rains in some areas.
Julius Bitok, the Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) also presided over the introduction of the exams in the Westlands Sub-County in Nairobi and stated again the commitment by the ministry to ensure the credibility of national examinations. Bitok called attention to the fact that the government is exerting all resources in its power to protect the invigilation, control, and general integrity of the whole examination process.
In the quest to enhance transparency, the PS affirmed that there are enough teachers and examination officers who have been spread across the country to provide fair supervision. He has also revealed that the assessment of Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) that ends this week will be electronically marked. The marking process that is anticipated to take approximately 40 days will enable enough time to plan the transition to senior school.
The marketing of the KJSEA will start right after the exams are over. This will mean that it will be prepared in time to be placed and transition to curriculum, explained Bitok.
On the issue of school fees, PS Bitok assured parents that there is no significant hike of fees expected to be charged on senior school with the new education system. He explained that the difference might be slight depending on the three learning procedures; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Social Sciences; and Arts and Sports but the government aims at making education affordable and equitable to all.
Another issue that the PS confronted was the constant heavy rains and flooding that have affected learning in some parts of the country. He assured that there have been contingency measures to ensure that all the candidates are able to sit their exams without any problem and this includes airlifting the exam papers with the use of a helicopter to the flood-infested areas.
Bitok said that sufficient logistical preparations have been made to see that no candidate is left behind and that vulnerable schools and flood-displaced candidates have received special consideration.
Bitok, in a sad manner, came to offer his condolences to families that were hit by the tragic mudslide in Elgeyo Marakwet County that has taken the lives of 14 students. According to him, he would go to the region personally and supervise the safe conduct of exams and will also provide ministry assistance to the affected schools.
The government too declared the anticipated dates of the 2025 national exams. Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and KJSEA results will be announced in December 2025 and KCSE results are expected to be announced in January 2026.
KJSEA is terminated today and KCSE is planned to operate until November 21. As security is tight, there is a hope that with better coordination and the assurance of fairness, the 2025 KCSE examination process will maintain Kenya as a country that has credible national tests.
With students in the rest of the country taking this important journey, the message of the unity of the government is still evident, excellence, integrity, and equal opportunity should still form the backbone of the education system in Kenya.