- Union warns teachers will not supervise, invigilate, or mark national examinations until all arrears are paid.
- KUPPET says about KSh1.5 billion in examination allowances from the 2025 examination cycle remains unpaid.
- Education stakeholders urge the government to resolve the dispute before the 2026 national examinations begin.
A fresh standoff is brewing between the government and teachers after the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) warned that its members will boycott this year’s national examinations unless all outstanding examination allowances are paid in full.
The warning by KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori has heightened anxiety within the education sector as schools enter the final phase of preparations for the 2026 national examinations. The union says teachers will not supervise, invigilate, or mark examinations until the government clears billions of shillings in unpaid dues owed for services rendered during the 2025 examination cycle.
According to KUPPET, thousands of teachers faithfully discharged their responsibilities during last year’s national examinations but are yet to receive their full allowances. The union argues that the persistent delays amount to exploitation of teachers who continue to shoulder the enormous responsibility of administering one of the country’s most critical national exercises.
Union demands full payment
Misori said teachers have remained patient despite repeated promises by the government and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) that the payments would be released. However, he noted that the prolonged delays have eroded teachers’ confidence and left many questioning whether their professional commitment is being appreciated.
He maintained that examination administration is not voluntary work but a professional assignment that demands adequate preparation, long working hours, and strict adherence to national standards. Teachers, he said, should not be expected to continue offering their services while the government fails to honour its financial obligations.
KUPPET estimates that approximately KSh1.5 billion in examination allowances remains unpaid despite previous assurances that the arrears would be settled. The union insists that unless every affected teacher receives the outstanding payments before the examination period begins, its members will withdraw from all examination-related duties.
Misori warned that the union’s position is firm and should not be mistaken for an empty threat.
“For far too long, teachers have remained on the receiving end of broken promises and delayed payments. A time will come when the government will find itself on the other side of the divide, and teachers will have no choice but to boycott the national examination exercise until they are treated with the dignity, respect and fairness they deserve,” he said.
He added that teachers have continued to endure delayed payments, increasing workloads, and rising economic pressures while remaining committed to delivering quality education. According to him, the continued failure to compensate teachers for work already completed is unacceptable and risks demoralising the very professionals entrusted with safeguarding the integrity of Kenya’s examination system.
Fears of examination disruption
The threatened boycott would affect every stage of the national examination process, including supervision, invigilation, and marking. Since teachers form the backbone of examination administration across the country, any withdrawal of their services could significantly disrupt this year’s examinations and affect hundreds of thousands of candidates preparing to sit the tests.
The warning comes at a time when schools have intensified revision programmes as candidates prepare for examinations that will determine their progression to the next level of education. Parents, school administrators, and education stakeholders are now urging the government to resolve the dispute before the examination season begins to avoid unnecessary uncertainty.
The standoff has once again exposed the recurring challenge of delayed examination payments, an issue that has sparked repeated complaints from teachers over the years. Many educators argue that despite fulfilling their obligations within the required timelines, they are often forced to wait months before receiving their allowances.
Although the National Treasury previously announced the release of funds intended to clear the arrears, KUPPET maintains that many teachers have either not received their payments or have only been paid partially. The union insists that the matter cannot be considered resolved until every teacher owed examination allowances receives the full amount.
Misori called on the Ministry of Education, KNEC, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), and the National Treasury to urgently intervene and settle all outstanding dues. He said doing so would restore teachers’ confidence, protect the credibility of the national examination process, and ensure that this year’s examinations proceed without disruption.
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As the countdown to the 2026 national examinations continues, the government’s response to KUPPET’s demands is expected to determine whether the country experiences another smooth examination season or faces an unprecedented boycott by the very teachers responsible for delivering one of Kenya’s most important education exercises.
By Hillary Muhalya
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