NAIROBI, Kenya – The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has released detailed guidelines on the recruitment of teachers who will oversee this year’s national examinations, set to begin next month.
In a circular signed by acting CEO Evaleen Mitei and addressed to regional directors, the commission outlined measures to strengthen accountability, supervision, and the credibility of assessments for learners in primary, junior, and secondary schools.
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams will run from October 21 to November 21, 2025, with rehearsals planned days before the start.
According to the directive, all teachers selected must be registered in the CP2 system by September 26 and actively employed under TSC.
To safeguard integrity, no supervisor or invigilator will be deployed to a school where they have taught in the last three years or where they have a vested interest.
“The CP2 system has been configured to ensure no supervisor or invigilator is posted to a centre they are affiliated with. They will also be required to declare any personal interest before deployment,” the circular reads.
Deployment ratios and qualifications
The guidelines provide specific teacher-to-learner ratios: one invigilator for every 20 learners in general exams, and one for every 10 learners in stage-based programs.
For KCSE, one supervisor will be assigned for every 200 candidates.
- KJSEA supervisors: Secondary school teachers with at least a diploma.
- KPSEA supervisors: Primary school teachers with at least three years of teaching and prior invigilation experience.
- Invigilators (all levels): Minimum three years’ teaching experience.
- KCSE supervisors: Secondary school teachers with at least a diploma, preferably senior teachers or heads of department.
Supervisors and invigilators for learners with special needs will include at least one teacher trained in Braille for visually impaired candidates.
Weekly rotation for KCSE supervisors
To prevent conflicts of interest and enhance transparency, KCSE supervisors will rotate weekly, with each outgoing supervisor required to prepare handover notes for their successor.
During practical and oral exams, only supervisors will be allowed in exam centres to minimise unnecessary personnel.
The TSC said the new measures are part of efforts to maintain fairness, transparency, and credibility in the 2025 examinations.
