The Ministry of Education has reaffirmed its full preparedness to combat exam malpractice as the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) 2025 exams begin on October 21, 2025.
Speaking during World Teachers’ Day 2025, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, delivering remarks on behalf of President William Ruto, emphasized that exam credibility remains a top priority. He noted that this year’s examination period is particularly critical as it marks the first administration of the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) exams.
“As always, we look forward to your support in delivering a seamless and credible examination and assessment process, lets work together to ensure the outcome is the honest work of our learners. ” Ogamba said.
This comes after the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) unveiled a new set of stringent measures to be implemented during the 2025 national examinations. These regulations are designed to tighten security, enhance accountability, and curb examination cheating.
According to KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere, the new policies will safeguard the credibility of national exams and protect learners from unethical practices. One of the key reforms is the introduction of personalised examination papers for all KCSE and KJSEA candidates. Each paper will bear the candidate’s name and index number, and learners will be required to sign both the paper and its counterfoil. Supervisors will collect and submit the signed counterfoils separately to enhance traceability and accountability.
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To further secure exam materials, KNEC will pilot digital smart padlocks in 250 exam storage containers nationwide. Officers manning these containers will undergo specialized training to operate the locks efficiently. Additionally, more security personnel—at least two officers per examination centre—will be deployed to strengthen oversight.
The government has also launched online surveillance systems to monitor and curb the unauthorized sharing of exam content through social media and other digital platforms.
The Ministry of Education emphasized that maintaining exam integrity and credibility is a shared responsibility. Teachers, invigilators, security officers, parents, and students must all uphold honesty and transparency to protect the value of Kenya’s national examinations.
In the previous year, the Ministry recorded 621 cases of examination malpractice during the 2024 KCSE, reported from 198 out of 10,754 examination centres across the country. The ministry is determined to ensure a significant reduction in such incidents this year through enhanced security and transparency.
By Pervil Achieng
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