KNEC received 5,743 KCSE late registration requests after portal closure - CEO

The Kenya National Examinations Council received 5,743 requests for late registration for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination after the closure of its registration portals in 2025, Chief Executive Officer David Njengere has revealed.

Njengere said the requests came from both public and private schools, with some Heads of Institutions only declaring unregistered candidates after pressure mounted from parents and media scrutiny.

“I however wish to point out that KNEC received a total of 5,743 requests for late registration from both public and private schools after closure of the portals in 2025. In some of the cases, the Heads of Institutions did not declare their unregistered candidates until pressure mounted from parents and media,” Njengere said.

He emphasised that registration is a critical process that informs planning for national assessments and examinations, warning that errors can have far-reaching consequences for learners.

“It is important for Heads of Institutions to appreciate that registration forms the basis of all planning for assessments and examinations for KNEC and the Ministry at large. Additionally, registration errors have far-reaching implications on the young learners,” he said.

Njengere noted that inaccuracies in learner details such as gender if left uncorrected from lower grades through various assessment levels, could result in serious placement errors at secondary school level.

“For instance, when a school indicates the wrong gender for a learner and the error goes uncorrected, such a learner may end up being placed in a school of the opposite gender,” he explained.

The KNEC boss called on school associations, parents and guardians to ensure timely and accurate registration of candidates to avoid disruptions.

“We are hereby calling upon the Associations to support the process by ensuring that all Heads of Institutions and parents/guardians presenting candidates for national examinations are sensitised on the need to ensure accurate and timely registration of all their candidates,” Njengere said.