The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has raised concerns over mobile phone breaches and logistical challenges caused by flooding, as the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) theory exams kick off across the country.
KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere said the council is grappling with inconsistent compliance to phone restrictions, despite a directive requiring all personnel involved in exam administration, including invigilators, centre managers, cooks, and security staff to surrender their mobile phones during the examination period.
“We have issued a circular to everyone in the exam centres that they must surrender their phones. These are then locked away until the exam materials are returned to the container,” Njengere said on Monday, November 3, while overseeing the opening of an exam container in Thika, Kiambu County.
He warned that failure to comply with the phone policy undermines the integrity of the national exams.
In addition to phone-related breaches, Njengere cited flooding in parts of the country as a major obstacle to the smooth delivery and collection of exam materials. He said KNEC has deployed helicopters to flood-prone regions to ensure uninterrupted access to examination centres.
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“We have mobilised aircraft to drop and collect exam materials in areas where roads are impassable. This guarantees that candidates are not disadvantaged by weather-related disruptions,” he said.
Njengere revealed that KNEC now releases examination papers only after the first session has been completed. All materials are then returned immediately to secure containers to prevent early exposure.
The council has reiterated its commitment to maintaining strict protocols throughout the exam period, urging all stakeholders to uphold transparency and discipline in line with national examination standards.
With 996,078 students sitting their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, (KCSE) exams this year, the Education CS Julius Ogamba has assured of examination security and further warned of hefty fine to anyone caught promoting examination malpractice.
The exams which has entered its third week is expected to end on November 21 with the results slated to come out in January 2026
By Masaki Enock
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