A case has been filed in Court to oppose the July series of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE, examinations. According to the petioner Dr. Magare Gikenyi, KNEC released guidelines were made ‘without any stakeholders’ consultation and or without public participation contrary to article 10 as read with article 1,3,73,75 of the constitution.’
The new Knec guidulines all repeaters and private candidates MUST register for the July series and not the November KCSE examination series.
KNEC has directed that registration portal for the July series shall be closed on Friday 21st February 2025 and there will be no provision for late registration candidates once the portal is closed.
On 8Th January 2025, the 1St -4Th respondent released the Kenya Certificate of secondary Examinations (KCSE Examinations) to the general public and advised the public to inquire their results through examination portal.
During the release of the KCSE 2024 results, the Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba announced the roll-out of the July series of the KCSE Exams.
“Starting this year, and following extensive stakeholder consultations, I wish to announce that KNEC will introduce a midˇyear series of the KCSE examination, to be administered in July every year. The examination will target candidates wishing to repeat the KCSE examination, and those who may have missed sitting an examination due to sickness or other unexpected hardships.Adult candidates may also consider registering for the July KCSE series examination”. CS Ogamba announced.
The petioner says that the mandatory nature of the July series goes against the right of every individual to chose examination which is convenient to him/her so as to enjoy the rights and fundamental freedoms in the Bill of Rights to the greatest extent as provided in article 20(2) of the constitution.
“The yearly examinations has always been sat/done on November of every year and thus every learner had a Legitimate Expectation that should he/she fail, she would repeat the same and/or as an adult learner sit the said examinations in November 2024. That abruptly Changing the said date and without involving the affected learners and stakeholders and public is against legitimate expectation of the affected learners, and their parents and stakeholders.” Says Magare in court papers filed at the High Court of Kenya in Kisii.
Magare now wants that the July Series of the KCSE Exams be cancelled immediately.
Knec Circular on registration of KCSE 2025 July Exams for Repeaters
The Kenya National Examinations Council Knec has released a circular on the on registration of KCSE 2025 July Exams for Repeaters. Here are the full details:
To: i) All County Directors of Education ii) Ali Prospective Candidates for the 2025 KCSE Examination — July series
SUBJECT: GUIDELINES ON ADMINISTRATION OF THE 2025 KCSE (JULY SERIES) EXAMINATION
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) shall be offering a July series of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination with effect from the year 2025. The following are the guidelines regarding conduct and administration of the KCSE examination July series.
1.0 Registration of candidates for the July series
The registration period for the 2025 KCSE examination July series will commence on Monday 27 January and end on Friday, 21%t February, 2025. The registration process will be coordinated and conducted at County headquarters through the offices of County Directors of Education (CDEs) on KNEC registration portal.
Candidates wishing to register for the July series are therefore expected to present themselves at their respective County headquarters within the stipulated period to complete the registration process.
2.0 Eligibility for the KCSE examination — July series 2.1 The existing regulations on registration of KCSE examination candidates shall apply as stipulated in the ‘Revised Regulations for KCSE examination (2024)’ and the
‘User Guide for Management of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary School (KCSE)
examination (2024) and only eligible candidates shall be allowed to register. ThecJuly series shall target the following categories of candidates:
2.1.1 repeaters (candidates who have sat the KCSE examination in previous years), wishing to improve on their grade. This includes fui repeaters (registering for seven or more subjects) or partia/ repeaters (registering for less than seven subjects);
2.1.2 candidates who had registered for KCSE examination but were unable to sit the examination due to unforeseen circumstances such as sickness; and
2.1.3 adult learners who are not in regular schools but have proof of the requisite primary education qualifications.
2.2 All repeaters and private candidates MUST register for the July series and NOT the November KCSE examination series.
2.3. The following category of learners are NOT eligible to register for the July series: 2.3.1 Learners attending regular school, sitting the KCSE examination for the first time; 2.3.2 Learners who do not meet the requisite qualifications as stipulated in the KNEC Regulations for registration of KCSE examination candidates.
2.4 Candidates will be required to present original and copies of the following documents which are mandatory for successful registration:
2.4.1 Statutory identification documents (National Identity (ID) card/Birth Certificate/Passport);
2.4.2 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination certificate;
2.4.3 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination result slip/certificate for repeaters;
2.4.4 A soft copy of the candidate’s passport photograph.
2.5 Education Officers in charge of registration of private candidates must ensure that all eligible candidates:
2.5.1 download, fill in and submit the Private Candidate’s Registration Form and all other required documents;
2.5.2 upload their correct passport size photographs (300 x 300 pixels). There will be no replacement/changing of photographs once the registration period is over.
2.5.3 adhere to all Registration requirements as stipulated in this circular and related guidelines.
2.6 Any candidate wishing to repeat (full repeaters or partial repeaters) will be allowed to do so, regardless of the year they sat their KCSE examination, as Jong as there is proof of having registered for KCSE examination previously.
2.7 All candidates must: 2.7.1 adhere to the laid down regulations on subject entry requirements for grading (subject clusters) as stipulated in the ‘Revised Regulations for KCSE examination (2024), 2.7.2 ensure that the registration data presented is accurate and error free. This includes: i) correct spelling and order of candidates’ names as documented in their KCPE examination certificates and other qualifying documents; if) gender; iif) year of birth; iv) citizenship; v) entry Codes; vi) _ Birth Certificate number; vil) subjects registered for; and viii) category of special needs and disabilities (where applicable). The categories catered for should be indicated as: a) Visual Impairment blind or low vision candidates; b) Hearing Impairment HI (Deaf); and c) Physical Impairment PL
3.0 Registration fees
The fees payable will be Kes. 7,200.00 and shall be borne by the candidate. The fees shall be paid at the point of registration through E Citizen, as per the details provided in the KNEC registration platform. Please note that fee payment is mandatory for successful registration.
4.0 Examination Timetable
KNEC has issued a timetable for the KCSE examination July series. Projects for Art and Design (442); Agriculture (443); Woodwork (444); Metalwork (445); Building Construction (446); and
Computer Studies (451) will be administered between January and July, 2025, while theory and practical papers will be administered from 1 July to 15* August, 2025.
5.0 Administration of the examination
5.1 The candidates will sit for the regular KCSE examination papers in examination centres to be identified by the County Directors of Education. Candidates will only be allowed access into examination centres upon proof of their eligibility, including use of National Identity card/ birth certificate/ passport.
5.2 The theory and practica! papers wil! be administered at County headquarters, while projects will be administered at sub county level, in institutions to be identified by the respective SCDEs. In this regard, all July series candidates registering for the subjects which have a project component (listed in 4.0) are expected to provide information on the sub county where they will do their projects from, during registration. In addition, the candidates are expected to present themselves to their respective SCDEs’ offices immediately after registration, to be assigned a centre for undertaking their projects.
5.3. The candidates will address all their registration related issues through the CDEs’ offices where they will have registered from. It is the responsibility of the candidates to follow up with their respective contact offices to ensure that they: 5.3.1 are duly registered;
5.3.2 confirm accuracy of their registration data; and 5.3.3 get information on the venue(s) for rehearsals and administration of the examination.
6.0 Grading and Certification of candidates sitting for the KCSE examination July series
The candidates sitting the July series will be graded and certified in adherence to the
existing regulations for the KCSE examination. KCSE examination certificates will be
issued to candidates who repeat in seven subjects or more while candidates repeating less
than seven subjects will be issued with a result slip for the subjects they will have
repeated as per the existing regulations for the KCSE examination.
Please note that the KNEC Registration portal for the July series shall be closed on Friday, 21% February, 2025 and there will be NO provision for late registration of candidates once the portal is closed. All the relevant stakeholders including candidates must therefore be informed on the need to adhere to the set deadlines.
State Department for Basic Teachers Service Commission
Education Ministry of Education, Private Bag,
P.O. Box 30040 — 00100 NAIROBI
NAIROBI
3. All Regional Directors 4. Ail TSC Regional Directors of Education
