The Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) has begun registering candidates for this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.
In a letter to all Sub-County Directors of Education, Knec has urged all principals of secondary schools presenting candidates for the 2025 KCSE exams to ensure the candidates are registered on time.
However, Knec Chief Executive Officer David Njengere said the registration of candidates will be strictly online.
“The registration of candidates wishing to sit the 2025 KCSE exams is scheduled to commence on February 17, and expected to end on March 28, 2025,” said Dr Njengere in a letter to education stakeholders.
The examination boss urged institutions to log into the Knec portal to capture registration details of their candidates using their examination centre login credentials. For regular candidates, the heads of institutions will be responsible for registration of their candidates.
However, Dr Njengere warned that the registration of ghost candidates will constitute an examination malpractice, attracting sanctions, including de-registration of the school as a Knec examination centre.
Knec urged all eligible candidates to upload their correct passport size photographs (300 x 300 pixels) adding that there will be no replacement/changing of photographs once the registration period is over.
Dr Njengere urged all candidates to adhere to the laid down regulations on subject entry requirements for grading (subject clusters) as stipulated in the Knec Rules and Regulations (2015) and the User Guide for Management of KCSE Examination (2nd Edition 2024) which can be accessed from the Knec website.
Dr Njengere urged the principals to ensure the registration data for all the candidates presented is accurate including correct spelling and order of candidates' names as documented in their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination certificates, gender, year of birth, citizenship, entry Codes (1st, 2nd or 3rd attempt), Birth Certificate number, subjects registered for and category of special needs and disabilities (where applicable).
Code B will be for visually impaired candidates who require Braille (totally blind), LV: for visually impaired candidates who require Large Print papers (Low Vision), D, for candidates with hearing impairment (Deaf) and P for candidates with physical impairments.
Knec urged persons wishing to sit the KCSE examination as private candidates (those who are not enrolled in a regular school setting) to be registered at Sub-County Directors of Education (SCDE offices including repeaters (candidates who have sat the KCSE examination in previous years), wishing to improve on their grade.
The candidates may register as full repeater (registering for seven or more subjects) or partial repeaters (registering for less than seven subjects).
However, it is mandatory for Heads of Institutions to declare repeaters registering for KCSE Examination in their institutions.
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 long as there is proof of having registered for KCSE examination previously.
The candidates will sit their theory and practical papers at their County headquarters examination centres to be identified by the County Directors of Education, while projects w be administered at sub-county level, in institutions to be identified by the respective SCDES.
Candidates will only be allowed access into examination centres upon proof of their eligibility including use of National Identity card/birth certificate/ passport.
“It is the responsibility of the candidates to follow up with their respective contact offices to ensure that they are duly registered, confirm accuracy of their registration data and get information on the venue(s) for rehearsals and administration of the examination,” said Dr Njengere.
The candidates will pay Sh7,200 fees which shall be paid at the point of registration through E-Citizen, as per the details provided in the KNE registration platform. Please note that fee payment is mandatory for successful registration
He urged all Education Officers and Heads of institutions to adhere to the Regulations and Use Guide for the Management of KCSE examination regarding payment of examination fees, and particular, note the following:
"The Government shall pay examination fee for all candidates in public and private schools except for the following categories candidates those re-sitting/repeating the examinations, Non-Citizens (Non Kenyans), Private candidates registering in the Sub County Private Examination Centres,” said Dr Njengere.
The examination boss warned schools with less than five candidates will not be allowed to register candidates for thr 2025 KCSE examination as independent examination centres.
"Such schools are advised to liaise with their respective Sub-County Directors of Education (SCDEs) to identify an approve KNEC examination centre with more than five candidates for their learners to be registered,” said Dr Njengere.
He said Examination centres with less than 30 candidates shall be hosted in examination centres to be identified by the SCDEs, in line with the guidelines provided by KNEC on the same.
Dr Njengere said Knec is in the process of inspecting new institutions that have submitted their be registered as Knec centres for the 2025 KCSE examination.
Newly created sub-counties requesting for coding of their sub-counties and re-coding of the centres within their jurisdiction are expected to submit the following documents to Knec.
"A copy of the Kenya Gazette notice legalising creation of the sub-county, list of schools within the new sub-county, indicating their previous codes and the codes and location of their Distribution Centre (Container) and details of the Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) or Assistant County Commissioner office,” said the examination boss.
Dr Njengere warned that there will be no late registration of candidates once the portal is closed.
