NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has rolled out strict guidelines ahead of the 2025 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), which officially begin on Monday.
In a statement released on Sunday, KNEC Chief Executive Officer Dr. David Njengere said the council was fully prepared for the assessments, assuring Kenyans of smooth and credible examinations.
He revealed that over 3.4 million learners will sit for this year’s national assessments, which run concurrently with the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams already in their second week.
Under the new rules, containers holding examination papers for KPSEA and KJSEA will be opened at 6:00 a.m., while those for KCSE will be opened at 7:00 a.m. across all examination centres.
Additionally, all mobile phones belonging to personnel within the centres will be locked away, with the key kept securely by the supervisor.
Centre managers are required to maintain an approved list of authorised personnel, each of whom must present a national identification card for verification. Supervisors were also warned against opening wrong or premature examination packets, an error that has previously led to mix-ups in assessment administration.
Dr. Njengere urged candidates to remain calm and confident, reminding them that 40 per cent of their marks had already been earned through formative assessments under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
“Your teachers have prepared you well for this assessment. There is no cause for alarm,” he said, adding that integrity would remain central to the council’s mandate.
He warned that any form of malpractice—including the possession of mobile phones—would lead to the cancellation of results, citing last year’s case in which 711 KCSE candidates were disqualified.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba echoed the warning while speaking at Nyagesenda SDA Church in Kisii County, calling on parents, teachers, and invigilators to uphold honesty and discipline during the examination period.
The KPSEA, designed for Grade 6 learners, will run from October 27 to 30, while the Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) for special needs learners will take place from October 27 to 31.
The KJSEA and Kenya Pre-Vocational Level Education Assessment (KPLEA) will span nine days, from October 27 to November 6, marking another major milestone in the full rollout of the CBC assessment framework.
