NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has released the official timetable for the 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, which will run from October 19 to November 20.
According to the schedule, candidates will begin with language and creative subjects before progressing to core academic papers in early November. The examinations will open on October 19 with French, German, Sign Language, and Music papers.
Practical examinations will follow shortly after. Between October 21 and October 26, candidates will sit for practical tests in Home Science, Art and Design, Building Construction, Electricity, and French, which are typically conducted under strict supervision to ensure uniform assessment standards.
The theory section of the examinations will start on November 2 with English and Chemistry papers. Each paper will run for two hours, with a three-and-a-half-hour break between the morning and afternoon sessions.
On November 3, students will sit for Mathematics Paper One, which will last two hours and 30 minutes, followed by English Grammar in the afternoon session starting at 2:00 pm.
The following day, November 4, candidates will take Chemistry Paper Two in the morning, while the afternoon session will feature English Composition and Essay, which will run until 4:30 pm.
Language examinations will continue on November 5, with Kiswahili (Lugha) scheduled from 8:00 am to 10:30 am, followed by Kiswahili (Insha) from 2:00 pm to 4:15 pm.
The second week of examinations will begin on November 9 with Mathematics Paper Two, after which candidates will sit for Kiswahili (Fasihi) in the afternoon.
On November 10, students will take Religious Education in the morning session before proceeding to Biology Paper One in the afternoon.
The next day, November 11, the second Religious Education paper will be administered in the morning, followed by History and Government in the afternoon.
Science and humanities examinations will continue on November 12, when candidates will sit for Biology Paper Two from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, followed by History and Government Paper Two in the afternoon.
The week will conclude with Biology practical examinations, where each candidate will complete the assessment individually within one hour and 45 minutes.
The final week will start on November 16 with Geography Paper One in the morning and Physics Paper One in the afternoon.
On November 17, candidates will take Business Studies in the morning and Agriculture in the afternoon, with each paper lasting two hours.
The examinations will continue on November 18 with Geography Paper Two in the morning and Physics Paper Two in the afternoon.
Second papers for Agriculture and Business Studies will be administered on November 19.
The 2026 KCSE examinations will conclude on November 20 with Physics practical, which will last two hours and 30 minutes per candidate.
The KCSE examinations remain a key component of Kenya’s education system, determining eligibility for university and tertiary institution placement under the framework managed by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
