Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. /FILEThe government has stepped up preparations to protect the 2026 national examinations and assessments from disruptions by the El Nino rains forecast during the examination season.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the government had put in place mitigation measures, including expanding storage capacity for examination and assessment materials and placing field officers from relevant ministries and agencies on standby.
He said the government would use a Whole-of-Government approach involving relevant stakeholders to respond to challenges arising from the weather, to avert disruptions to the examination and assessment processes
“Field officers from all the relevant ministries and agencies shall be on standby to provide whatever support that will be required to ensure that our processes run seamlessly and that none of our candidates are unnecessarily disadvantaged ,” Ogamba said during the launch of the 2026 examination and assessment season in at Mitihani House in Nairobi on Monday.
The measures come as the number of learners sitting national examinations and assessments rises to 3,634,846, increasing the logistical demands on the administration of the examination season.
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment has the highest candidature at 1,380,463 learners, up from 1,298,089 last year.
The Kenya Junior School Education Assessment has 1,206,028 learners, 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.
Ogamba said the growth in candidature meant that more resources and greater dedication would be required from officials involved in field administration.
The government has expanded storage capacity for examination and assessment materials by installing 48 additional containers in subcounties, bringing the total number of containers to 701, from the existing 653.
The additional storage capacity is intended to strengthen the logistics around the distribution and handling of examination materials as officials prepare for the potentially challenging weather conditions.
Ogamba said all field officers involved in administering the examinations and assessments would also undergo comprehensive briefings from Tuesday, October 6, to prepare them for the challenges expected during this year's examination season.
The preparations come against the backdrop of the government's warning that heavy rains could interfere with the movement and administration of examinations, particularly in areas likely to experience severe weather.
The CS said field officers from relevant ministries and agencies would remain on standby throughout the season to ensure examination and assessment processes run seamlessly and that candidates are not unnecessarily disadvantaged.
The Kenya National Examinations Council will also operate a toll-free number throughout the examination season to facilitate instant communication of challenges encountered across the country.
Beyond the weather challenge, the government has warned candidates, centre managers, supervisors and invigilators against examination malpractice, saying all those involved must comply with regulations.
Ogamba said field officers in the regions and counties must remain vigilant throughout the examination and assessment period.
He said the government would have no mercy on anyone found engaging in examination malpractice, with those who breach the regulations subject to the full force of the law.
The CS said the involvement of ministries, departments and agencies, professional associations and parents would be critical in ensuring examinations and assessments are administered with integrity, credibility and efficiency.
The 2026 examination season will have the biggest cohort of candidates in the country's history as the government continues rolling out the Competency-Based Education system.
