NAIROBI, Kenya- The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has launched a digital platform allowing former Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates to access and download electronic copies of their certificates online.
The new e-Certificate platform enables candidates whose examination records are stored in the KNEC database between 1989 and 2025 to retrieve verifiable digital certificates without visiting KNEC offices or their former schools.
To use the service, applicants must first create an account on the e-Certificate portal, verify their identity and pay a certificate generation fee of KSh1,200, excluding VAT and applicable eCitizen transaction charges. Once the verification process is complete, users can instantly download their digital certificates.
The platform is expected to provide relief to thousands of Kenyans who have lost their KCSE or KCPE certificates or require certified digital copies for employment, further studies or other official purposes.
According to KNEC, Kenyan applicants will be required to provide their National Identity Card details, which will be automatically verified through the Integrated Population Registration System (IPRS).
Candidates must then enter their examination index number, select the examination type and indicate the year they sat for the examination.
The launch marks a significant shift from the traditional paper-based certificate system, with KNEC saying the platform offers secure, tamper-proof digital credentials that can be verified instantly by employers, universities and other institutions.
The portal currently supports KCSE certificates, while KCPE, KPSEA, TVET and teacher examination certificates are expected to be added in phases.
The initiative builds on KNEC’s recent digital reforms aimed at curbing certificate forgery. Earlier this year, the examination council introduced QR code technology and blockchain-backed verification for KCSE certificates issued from 2023 onwards, enabling employers and learning institutions to authenticate academic credentials in real time.
Through the new platform, students and alumni can securely store and share their digital certificates, while organizations can verify academic qualifications instantly, reducing processing times that previously took several days.
KNEC says the move is part of its broader efforts to modernise examination services, improve accessibility and strengthen the integrity of Kenya’s academic certification system.
