NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has issued new guidelines outlining how employers, universities and other organisations can verify Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificates through its online e-Certificate verification platform.
The new procedures are intended to streamline the verification process as institutions increasingly seek to authenticate academic credentials amid rising concerns over forged certificates.
Under the guidelines, organisations must first register as verifier organisations on the KNEC e-Certificate portal before accessing the verification service.
During registration, applicants are required to provide their organisation’s details, request a one-time password (OTP) and enter the six-digit code sent to their registered email address to verify the account. They must also upload a valid certificate of incorporation before submitting the application for review.
KNEC will assess the submitted information before either approving the application or rejecting it with reasons, allowing the organisation to correct the identified issues and reapply.
Once approved, organisations will gain access to a verifier dashboard where they can submit certificate verification requests.
To verify a KCSE certificate, users must provide the candidate’s index number, examination year, examination type and full name exactly as it appears on the certificate. They are also required to upload the candidate’s electronic certificate in PDF format before submitting the request.
The system allows organisations to verify multiple candidates under a single request.
Before completing the application, users must indicate the purpose of the verification, including employment, university admission or immigration, and accept a consent declaration confirming they have authority to verify the candidate’s credentials.
Payments for the service can be made using preloaded account credits or through the eCitizen platform using mobile money and other supported payment options.
Upon completion, the system generates a verification report indicating whether each certificate has been confirmed as authentic or referred to KNEC for further review.
The guidelines come amid heightened efforts to curb the use of forged academic credentials in Kenya.
Recent investigations and court cases have exposed several instances where fake academic certificates were used to secure employment and promotions, particularly in the public sector.
Earlier this month, two former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) employees were convicted in separate cases after courts found they had used forged academic certificates to obtain employment and career advancement.
KNEC says the new verification framework is designed to provide employers, universities and other institutions with a secure and reliable mechanism for confirming the authenticity of KCSE certificates before making employment, admission or other official decisions.
