Education CS Julius Ogamba appeared before the National Assembly on October 8, 2025. /PARLIAMENTThe government has unveiled elaborate security and logistical measures to safeguard the integrity of the 2025 national examinations, which began today for more than 3.4 million learners across Kenya.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the Ministry of Education, working through the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), has deployed thousands of officers and adopted a multi-agency coordination plan to ensure smooth and credible assessments.
“We have embraced a multi-agency approach to deliver a seamless and credible examination process,” Ogamba said Wednesday in a statement.
He said all registered examination centres have been mapped to the nearest distribution points to guarantee secure and timely delivery of papers.
The examinations officially commenced October 21, 2025, and will run until November 21, 2025, covering learners in Grade 6, Grade 9, and Form 4.
A total of 3,424,836 candidates are sitting for the tests, including 1,298,069 pupils for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), 1,130,669 for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), and 996,078 for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
To support this nationwide operation, Ogamba announced that they deployed 342,687 contracted professionals, including centre managers, supervisors, invigilators, and security personnel drawn from both the Education and Interior ministries.
In a show of heightened vigilance, the Ministry declared all examination centres out of bounds for unauthorised persons.
Centre managers have been directed to strictly enforce KNEC guidelines and restrict entry to only those accredited to handle the tests.
Ogamba assured that contingency plans are in place to address emergencies and logistical challenges, especially in remote or flood-prone areas, adding that “no learner will miss their examination due to inaccessibility or unforeseen disruptions.”
Security agencies are also pursuing individuals behind the circulation of fake examination papers on social media and messaging platforms.
Ogamba confirmed that several suspects have already been arrested, with investigations ongoing to dismantle the networks behind the fraudulent activities.
“We call upon the public to be vigilant and report suspicious activities through KNEC’s toll-free lines 0800 721 410 and 0800 724 900,” the CS said.
“Any cases of misconduct involving police officers can be reported to IPOA through the toll-free line 1559.” He warned that anyone found leaking or sharing fake papers will face prosecution under existing laws on examination malpractice and cybercrime.
The Ministry has urged all stakeholders, including school heads, teachers, and parents, to support efforts to maintain fairness and transparency during the examination period.
“We acknowledge the tireless efforts of schools, teachers, parents, and learners,” Ogamba said.
“Let us all approach this period with honesty and integrity to preserve the credibility of our education system.”
The 2025 assessments mark another milestone under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), with the Grade 6 and Grade 9 cohorts taking transition-level tests that will determine their movement to the next stages of learning.
Ogamba said the exams are not only an academic exercise but also a national test of trust and unity, calling for calm, cooperation, and discipline throughout the process.
“This is a moment for Kenya to reaffirm its values, fairness, hard work, and national cohesion,” he said adding that every candidate deserves an equal chance to succeed.
