NAIROBI, Kenya – The Ministry of Education has ruled out postponing the 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations because of the expected El Niño rains, saying candidates across the country must sit the papers at the same time.
The Ministry said it has put contingency measures in place to ensure candidates can access examination centres despite potential disruptions caused by heavy rains and flooding.
“The national examinations are zero-sum. They cannot be postponed and cannot be delayed. Everybody must do the paper at the same time across the country,” a Ministry official said.
The clarification was issued during the 13th National Climate Outlook Forum on the October-December 2026 rainfall outlook held in Nairobi on Wednesday, August 26.
KCSE exams will proceed as scheduled
The Ministry acknowledged that heavy rainfall could create logistical challenges during the examination period, particularly in areas vulnerable to flooding.
Potential disruptions include difficulties transporting examination materials and candidates reaching schools located in areas where roads could become impassable.
However, officials said preparations are already underway to identify vulnerable areas and develop alternative arrangements.
The Ministry maps areas that could be affected by severe weather and identifies alternative locations where examination centres can be moved if necessary.
“We map out the country in advance, and then we decide which centre should be moved to which location to mitigate against areas that we are very sure we will not be able to reach in case of any emergencies,” the official said.
Drones and aircraft to deliver examination materials
Where roads become inaccessible, the government plans to use air transport to ensure examination materials reach affected areas.
Officials said aircraft have previously been used for such emergencies, while drones are expected to be deployed this year as an additional logistical solution.
“We also do airlifting. If we cannot go by road, we go by air. This year we are going to deploy drones. Those are some of the innovations we are putting in place,” the official said.
The measures are intended to prevent weather-related disruptions from interfering with the national examination timetable.
Boarding schools warned over food supplies
The Ministry is also preparing for possible disruptions to food supplies in boarding schools during the examination period.
Schools have been advised to stock adequate food before the heavy rains begin to ensure learners continue receiving meals throughout the examination period.
Officials warned that interruptions to food deliveries could put additional pressure on boarding schools, particularly while candidates are sitting their examinations.
“On food supplies, boarding schools feed; they have feeding programmes. When food supply is affected, the school becomes distressed, especially during exams, so we advise them to stock,” the official said.
Schools are expected to receive further guidance on the types and quantities of food supplies to prepare.
El Niño raises KCSE concerns
The Ministry’s contingency plans come amid forecasts of heavy rainfall between late September and December 2026.
The developing El Niño has raised concerns about flooding, damaged roads and other weather-related disruptions that could affect schools and transport networks during the KCSE examination period.
The 2026 KCSE examinations are scheduled to take place between October and November, placing much of the examination period within the forecast period of heightened rainfall.
The Ministry, however, maintains that the weather outlook will not lead to a postponement of the national examinations.
Instead, officials are preparing alternative examination centres, airlifting arrangements, drone deployment and food-stock measures to ensure candidates can sit their papers without interruption.
The preparations are aimed at maintaining the integrity of the national examination timetable while ensuring that candidates in areas affected by flooding are not disadvantaged by extreme weather.
