For the next three years, anyone who is dissatisfied with their performance or registered but failed to sit the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations has a chance to better his or her grade before the national test is discontinued from the education system.
The CEO of the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) David Njeng’ere says that the mid-year examinations will begin in July 2025 and the results are expected in August. This will also give a chance to 2024 candidates who wish to better their grades to make another attempt and be eligible for tertiary education intake in September 2025, alongside their counterparts who have already qualified.
“Anyone can register for the mid-year examinations. We will issue a circular next week and also a time-table for the examinations. The only students we’re going to block are those currently in school. Even if you sat for KCSE (examinations) 10 years ago, you can do the mid-year exam in July. This is because the KCSE examinations will come to an end in three years and we don’t want to overload the process in the last year,” says Dr Njeng’ere.
Continue read: KNEC to introduce KCSE supplementary exams in July every year
The new national examinations will, therefore, offer another chance to those seeking to repeat the exams or candidates who registered but were absent for one reason or another.
The last KCSE examination under the 8-4-4 education system will be administered in 2027. The Knec boss urged the public, especially those wishing to retake the exam fully or partially, to take advantage of the remaining opportunities to do so before the system transitions to the competency-based assessment.
“I wish to remind everyone that the last KCSE examination will be administered in 2027. Any person wishing to repeat fully or partially should take advantage of the remaining chances to do so,” he said.
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He explained that the mid-year examinations will be administered at the various county headquarters and that Knec had experimented it in 2024 when all the private candidates sat their examinations at designated venues in county headquarters. According to Dr Njeng’ere, Knec will use teachers to supervise administration of the mid-year examinations. The regular examiners will be assigned to mark.
“We’ll use the same examiners. We’re advising the Ministry of Education to work with the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (Kuccps) so that the results are considered for placement, for those who wish to join university. It’s not a very big population,” Dr Njeng’ere said.
The announcement for the mid-year series of examinations was made by the Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba when he released the 2024 KCSE results in Nairobi on Thursday, January 9.
“Starting this year, and following extensive stakeholder consultations, I wish to announce that Knec will introduce a mid-year 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,” said Mr Ogamba.
The CS said adult candidates may also consider registering for the July series examination from this year.
KNEC CEO David Njeng’ere has announced the last Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination will be administered in 2027.
“I wish to remind the public that the last KCSE examination will be administered in 2027. Any person wishing to repeat fully or partially should take advantage of the remaining chances to do so,” he said.
After 2027, the 38-year-old exams will come to an end.
“In a country where there are no adverse effects like war, the norm is to qualify about 30 per cent of the candidates for university entry. Kenya is the only country in Africa where we spend about 30 per cent of our national budget on education; it’s not a social thing, it’s an investment because we rely on our human capital. We shouldn’t even be talking about 30 per cent but something higher,” Dr Njeng’ere told Nation Africa.
“When we give them grades that can’t contribute to the economy, it’s a waste of the investment. The grading system is one of the factors that was not giving us a normal distribution but there are other factors,” he added.
He observed that with the new grading system, some students might find challenges fitting into subject clusters set by universities for various academic programmes.
“This is where schools need to do more career guidance for students to pursue their preferred careers and advise them on subject choices. But it was still a factor even when all the subjects were considered for grading,” Dr Njeng’ere said.
Mid Year National Examination/Assessment Highlights
1. INTRODUCTION OF JULY KCSE SERIES
A July KCSE series will commence this year, specifically for repeat candidates seeking a second chance.
Candidates whose results were cancelled will also be eligible to sit for this series.
The exams will be marked by mid-August to ensure timely university admissions in September.
2. FLEXIBLE REGISTRATION OPTIONS
Candidates can register for one subject or all seven subjects.
Those repeating all seven subjects will be issued a new KCSE certificate.
Candidates registering for fewer than seven subjects will receive a result slip only.
3. CENTRALIZED EXAM CENTERS
The July exams will be conducted at designated central points within each county.
4. KNEC SUPERVISION
The examinations will be overseen by supervisors appointed by KNEC.
5. SUPPORT FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED CANDIDATES
Visually impaired candidates will use orbit readers during exams.
A dry run will be conducted for these candidates, with an online meeting scheduled for January 21, 2025, to provide further guidance.
6. E-ASSESSMENT FOR COMPUTER STUDIES
Computer Studies will adopt an e-assessment format.
Details will be discussed in an online meeting for principals, scheduled for tomorrow. The meeting link will be shared later today.
7. BIOMETRIC REGISTRATION
Biometric registration will be introduced, particularly for private and adult candidates.
2025 Exam/ Assessment highlights from KNEC:
1. July series for KCSE will kick off this year to allow for repeaters willing to undertake a second chance. Any candidate with cancelled results will be allowed to sit for the July series which will be Marked by mid August to allow for university admission in September. All those who intend to repeat shall seat for the July exams and not in November .
2. One can register for one subject or all
3. For a repeat of all seven subjects, a new certificate will be awarded
4. For less than seven subjects, no new certificate but only a result slip will be issued
5. The July exams will be done at a central point within the county
6. Supervisor from KNEC
7. There will be dry runs for all visually impaired candidates as they will be using orbit readers. An online meeting on the same will be held on 21st Jan- next week
8. Computer studies will be exposed to an e- assessment for paper1&2. More details will be shared in an online meeting tomorrow for all principals of schools offering computer. We will share the link later in the day.
9. Biometric registration will be introduced especially for private/ adult candidates
