Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba/FILEEducation Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has issued a stern warning to candidates and examination officials as Kenya begins the 2026 national examinations and assessments season.
Ogamba said candidates, centre managers, supervisors and invigilators must comply with examination regulations, warning that anyone who violates the rules will face the full force of the law.
"We will have no mercy on anyone who will be found engaging in any form of malpractice," Ogamba said on Monday during the launch of the 2026 national examinations and assessments season at Mitihani House in Nairobi.
He called on all stakeholders involved in administering the examinations and assessments to follow the laid-down rules and regulations to protect the credibility of the process.
Ogamba also urged stakeholders to pay attention to innovations introduced this year to improve the efficiency and credibility of the examination and assessment cycle.
"Let us work together to administer examinations and assessments in a manner that is fair and free of malpractice. This is the only way to keep our education system globally competitive," he said.
The CS said field officers in the regions and counties must remain vigilant throughout the examination and assessment period to ensure compliance with the regulations.
He said the government would work with ministries, departments, agencies, professional associations and parents to ensure the examinations are administered with the highest standards of integrity, credibility and efficiency.
Ogamba said the 2026 examination and assessment season comes with an increase in the number of candidates across the three major national assessments and examinations.
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment has registered 1,380,463 learners, up from 1,298,089 last year.
The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment has 1,206,028 candidates, compared with 1,130,679 last year, while 1,048,355 candidates have registered for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, up from 996,078 in 2025.
He said the increase in candidature would require greater dedication and more resources from officials involved in field administration.
Ogamba also raised concern over the expected El Nino rains, saying measures had been put in place to prevent weather-related disruptions during the examination period.
The government has installed 48 additional containers in sub-counties to expand storage capacity for examination and assessment materials, bringing the total number of containers to 701.
He said field officers involved in administering the examinations would receive comprehensive briefings from Tuesday to prepare them for challenges expected during the season.
The Kenya National Examinations Council will also operate a toll-free number throughout the examination and assessment period to allow officials and stakeholders to report challenges encountered across the country.
