Over 960,000 students are set to begin their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams starting Tuesday. The first week of exams will focus on subjects such as French, German, Sign Language, Arabic, Music, and Home Science, which will be held in 10,755 exam centres across the country.

At Kereri Girls High School in Kisii, preparations are complete, and the school’s management is optimistic that the over 800 candidates are ready for the exams. However, concerns have been raised by education stakeholders about the poor state of roads, which may disrupt the timely delivery of exam materials. Dr. Samuel Siringi, chair of Bobasi Professionals, highlighted the issue, stating that the collapse of a bridge in Nyamache could hinder smooth transportation, as it has been awaiting reconstruction for over a year.


In Murang’a County, preparations have been finalized for over 31,000 candidates. Ann Kiilu, the county’s director of education, assured parents that strict measures are in place to prevent unauthorized access to exam centres and ensure the exams are credible. Speaking at Kiangunyi Girls High School during the school’s prayer day, she urged parents to pray for the success of the candidates.

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Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Collins Oyuu emphasized the importance of fair invigilation, calling on exam supervisors to act with kindness and follow proper procedures. He also urged the government to enhance security in areas prone to insecurity, citing past incidents where both teachers and students were ambushed during lessons.


“We ask the government to ensure security in vulnerable areas to guarantee that exams proceed smoothly,” Oyuu said. "We want to see a peaceful and secure environment for both learners and teachers during this crucial period."

The Ministry of Education recently released new guidelines for this year’s exams. These include rotating centre supervisors, who will not be allowed to stay at one exam centre for more than a week, and requiring supervisors and invigilators to leave their phones in a secure location away from exam rooms. Additionally, candidates will receive personalized question papers.

The KCSE exams will run concurrently with the KPSEA assessments, set to begin on October 28, with over a million candidates expected to sit for them.