Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. /FILEKenya’s month-long national examinations season officially came to a close Friday, with Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba declaring the 2025 assessments “a turning point for integrity and efficiency” in the basic education sector.
Ogamba said the successful conclusion of the tests, culminating with Physics Practical, marked more than the end of the exam calendar.
"It signalled a renewed commitment to safeguarding credibility in a system long dogged by malpractice," Ogamba said during the opening of the KNEC examination container at Nyamira North subcounty DCC offices.
In a fresh angle that underscores this year’s reforms, the CS said the ministry will now fast-track marking, tighten penalties, and introduce enhanced monitoring mechanisms as part of a long-term strategy to deter exam fraud and accelerate the release of results.
"The work does not end today. We are entering a new phase where fairness, speed and transparency will define how results are processed and released,” he said.
The 2025 KCSE examinations ran seamlessly from October 21 to November 21, involving more than 110,000 personnel, including centre managers, supervisors, invigilators and officers from both the Education and Interior ministries.
The CS praised their discipline, noting that many arrived at exam containers by 7am daily, some as early as 4am or 5am, to ensure materials were distributed on time across the country.
He also highlighted special efforts to support candidates in hospital, ensuring that “every willing learner got a chance to sit their papers despite personal challenges.”
The season, however, was marked by moments of grief.
“We tragically lost some candidates along the way. To their families, we offer our deepest condolences. Your loss is our loss,” the CS said.
Despite the largely smooth process, exam fraud remains a concern.
This year, 418 cases of malpractice were reported, an improvement from the 614 recorded in 2024.
The CS vowed uncompromising action, citing provisions of the KNEC Act 2012 that allow for nullification of results, deregistration of centres, disqualification of candidates, and criminal prosecution.
Impersonators, he warned, will face the harshest penalty, including a ban from sitting KCSE until 2027.
To protect the credibility of the marking process, the CS announced that 32,558 examiners will begin marking at 40 centres under stringent integrity protocols. Examiners from compromised schools have already been disqualified.
“This year, transparency will not be an aspiration, it will be an obligation,” he said.
Beyond KCSE, focus now shifts to the ongoing TVET November series, with 15,266 Business candidates and 38,959 Technical candidates sitting examinations across 752 institutions.
These tests run until December 5, and the CS assured that they will be administered with the same level of vigilance.
Meanwhile, the marking of the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) is underway and expected to be completed in time for a December 11 release.
The timeline, the CS said, is designed to allow parents adequate preparation ahead of Senior School placements under the three pathways, Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences, and STEM.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and report any irregularities through KNEC’s confidential toll-free lines.
“Examination integrity is the foundation of meritocracy. Together, we will ensure fairness, excellence, and trust in our education system,” he said.
The CS reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening reforms in line with national development goals, saying the 2025 exam cycle had laid a firmer foundation for the future.
