NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 19 – The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has reiterated that the registration exercise for the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination will be conducted strictly online.
Schools must log onto the KNEC portal using their examination center login credentials to facilitate the process.
The registration period commenced on February 17 and will run until March 28, 2025.
In a circular released on Tuesday, addressed to sub-county directors of education and school principals, the institution emphasized that principals are responsible for the registration of their candidates and must ensure that all registered candidates are eligible to sit for the exams.
The council warned against registering non-existent students, as this would be considered examination malpractice, a prosecutable crime.
“The registration of ghost candidates constitutes examination malpractice, which attracts sanctions, including the de-registration of the school as a KNEC examination center,” the notice read.
The institution directed that all candidates must meet the stipulated subject entry requirements as outlined in the KNEC Rules and Regulations (2015) and the User Guide for the Management of KCSE Examination (2nd Edition 2024), both of which are accessible on the KNEC website.
Candidates are required to upload passport-size photographs, which cannot be changed once the registration period closes.
The council further instructed that the registration data for all candidates must be accurate, including their names as they appear on the KCPE examination certificate, gender, year of birth, citizenship, and entry codes for first, second, or third attempts.
Private candidates, including those repeating the KCSE exam, will register at the Sub-County Directors of Education (SCDEs) offices.
“Any candidate wishing to repeat the exam will be allowed to do so, regardless of the year they previously sat the KCSE examination, provided they have proof of prior registration,” KNEC stated.
Suspended mid-year exams
KNEC urged candidates with special needs to mark their categories accurately.
The requirements for special needs candidate include using the code ‘B’ for visually impaired candidates who require Braille and ‘LV’ for visually impaired candidates who require large print papers.
This announcement comes amid a High Court decision suspending KNEC’s plan to introduce a mid-year KCSE exam for repeaters and private candidates.
The suspension followed a petition challenging the move on the grounds of violating students’ rights.
On January 30, Kisii High Court Lady Justice Teresia Achieng Odera issued conservatory orders, stating that the petition met the legal threshold for a temporary suspension pending further hearings.
The court’s directions were in response to a petition filed by Dr. Magare Gikenyi, who sued KNEC over the planned July 2025 KCSE examinations.
The petitioner sought to halt the process, citing a lack of public participation. In his application, Dr. Gikenyi accused KNEC of failing to involve stakeholders in the decision-making process.
He further argued that the new guidelines created two categories of candidates: one group with a limited preparation period (July) and another with a longer revision period (November).
Dr. Gikenyi noted that national examinations, historically conducted in November, create a legitimate expectation among learners that if they failed, they could retake the exams in the same timeframe.
