KNEC/fileThe Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has announced the death of one of its examiners stationed at a Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) marking centre in Machakos County.
In a statement released on Monday, November 24, 2025, KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere confirmed that Nicodemus Mutua Mutuku passed away earlier that morning while on duty at Machakos Girls High School.
"It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the passing of one of our examiners for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA). Nicodemus Mutua Mutuku passed away this morning at Machakos Girls High School, where he was a team leader in the Creative Arts and Sports paper," the statement reads.
The marking process commenced on November 7, 2025, and the deceased had been actively performing his supervisory duties since reporting to the centre.
KNEC CEO Njengere described Mutuku as a committed and experienced educator whose contribution to Kenya’s national examinations system spanned many years.
Until his death, he was a teacher at Nduluni Junior School in Makindu Sub-County, Makueni County.
Prior to the country’s transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, he served as an examiner for the now-discontinued Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination. His long service, the CEO noted, had made him a valued member of KNEC’s examiner pool.
The council characterised Mutuku as a diligent professional who consistently demonstrated dedication both in the classroom and in national assessment roles.
“He was an experienced, diligent teacher and we have, indeed, lost a gem,” Dr. Njengere stated, acknowledging the grief felt within the education and examination fraternity.
Marking centres across the country host thousands of teachers each year, making examiner welfare a key operational priority.
KNEC extended its sympathies to the family, friends, colleagues and fellow examiners of the late educator.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) is the state agency charged with overseeing national assessments in Kenya’s education system.
Its mandate, rooted in the KNEC Act, includes setting, moderating, administering and marking examinations at various levels of learning.
The council ensures the credibility and security of all national tests, from the development of examination papers to the release of results.
It trains examiners, manages marking centres, establishes assessment policies and safeguards the integrity of the entire testing process.
Under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), KNEC has also taken up the role of designing new competency-based assessment models and supporting schools in implementing continuous assessments that complement national evaluations.
As part of the CBC reforms, KNEC introduced the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), which evaluates learners at the end of Grade 9.
The assessment is a key transition point from junior school into senior school, where learners choose pathways such as STEM, arts, social sciences, or technical and vocational studies.
