KWALE, Kenya – The 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination officially kicked off on Monday, marking a critical milestone for nearly one million candidates across the country.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba led the national launch of the exams in Matuga Constituency, Kwale County, where he supervised the opening of the first exam container to signal the start of the exercise.
This year, 996,078 candidates are sitting for the KCSE, which runs until November 21.
CS Ogamba assured smooth and secure administration of the exams, noting that the ministry had enhanced logistics and deployed adequate security personnel nationwide to safeguard the integrity of the process.
“We have strengthened security and ensured efficient distribution of exam materials to all centres,” the CS said.
Meanwhile, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok oversaw the start of the exams at the Westlands Deputy County Commissioner’s office in Nairobi, where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a credible and transparent examination process.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure that we deliver a credible exam,” Bitok said. “We are pulling every resource to ensure that invigilation, adjudication, and the integrity of the process are fully protected.”
The PS said adequate teachers and personnel have been deployed to ensure fairness and efficiency throughout the exam period.
Bitok also revealed that marking of the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) will commence immediately after the tests conclude, with most papers to be marked electronically.
The process is expected to take about 40 days, paving the way for the transition to senior school.
On school fees, Bitok reassured parents that the new academic system would not result in major increases, saying any changes would be minimal and dependent on students’ chosen pathways—STEM, Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports.
“We are not expecting any significant difference in fees. There could be marginal differences depending on the pathways, but overall, the difference will be minimal,” he said.
The PS also addressed concerns about heavy rains and flooding in parts of the country, saying the ministry had made contingency plans to ensure all candidates sit for their exams without disruption.
“We have made arrangements to deliver exams to areas severely affected by floods, with some papers being airlifted by choppers,” Bitok said.
He expressed condolences following the death of 14 students in a mudslide in Elgeyo Marakwet County, saying he would visit the area to oversee exam logistics.
The ministry announced that results for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and KJSEA will be released in December 2025, while KCSE results are expected in January 2026.
