NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 9 – Registration for the 2026 national examinations has officially begun, with school heads now required to enrol candidates through the digital assessment portal managed by the Kenya National Examinations Council.
The Ministry of Education recently announced the start of the registration process for three key assessments under the Competency-Based Curriculum ,the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment, and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment.
School administrators have been directed to complete the exercise using the council’s computer-based assessment portal within the stipulated timelines to avoid penalties or complications later in the year.
For the Grade Six learners sitting the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), registration began on February 16 and will close on March 16, 2026. Registration for candidates sitting the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) started on the same date but will run until March 31.
Meanwhile, registration for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) opened on March 2 and will remain active until March 31, 2026.
Education authorities say the exercise is a crucial step in preparing for the national assessments scheduled later this year as the country continues implementing the competency-based education system.
The examinations council has also issued a strict warning to schools regarding candidate details submitted during registration.
According to KNEC, no changes to candidate information will be accepted after May 22, 2026, meaning schools must ensure that all data entered during the registration process is accurate and complete.
“Requests for amendments to registration data will not be considered after May 22, 2026,” the council said in a notice to schools.
As part of efforts to strengthen accountability in the process, KNEC has introduced additional verification requirements for KJSEA registration.
These include mandatory SMS-based one-time password (OTP) authentication, uploading learners’ Grade Five assessment scores, and ensuring that schools comply with data protection regulations such as obtaining parental consent before submitting candidate information.
The council said the measures are meant to prevent recurring cases where parents only discover close to the examination period that their children were not registered as candidates.
To address this problem, KNEC plans to introduce an SMS verification system in April 2026 that will allow parents to confirm whether their children have been successfully registered.
The platform will be accessible during the April school holidays, giving families time to verify candidate details and report any discrepancies to schools before the examination process progresses further.
