The 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations have entered a critical phase, with candidates undertaking rehearsals on Friday ahead of the oral and practical tests scheduled to begin on Monday, October 19.

A total of 1,048,355 candidates have registered for this year’s examinations, pushing the candidature above the one-million mark for the first time in Kenya’s history.

The high candidature highlights the scale of resources and personnel required to administer the examinations. However, the exercise faces uncertainty following a nationwide directive by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) ordering its members to boycott invigilation, supervision and marking.

The union has warned that it could paralyse the administration of national examinations unless teachers’ terms of service and welfare are substantially improved.

Kuppet secretary general Akelo Misori has criticised the current compensation structure, describing the rates as “slavery wages” that fall below what unskilled casual construction workers earn.

The union is demanding a minimum daily rate of Sh4,000 for supervisors and other examination officials, alongside at least Sh100 for every examination paper marked.

It has described the existing rates, including Sh600 for supervisors, Sh55 per marked paper and a Sh150 pocket allowance, as inadequate compensation for the demanding assignment.

As the standoff unfolds, schools are expected to proceed with rehearsals to familiarise candidates with examination rules, verify registration details and prepare them for procedures in the examination room.

Candidates will be briefed on acceptable conduct, time management and the items permitted or prohibited in examination rooms.

They will also confirm their personal details, index numbers and seating arrangements to identify and report any discrepancies before the examinations begin.

The rehearsals will cover the handling of answer sheets, booklets and other examination materials, while teachers and supervisors will review invigilation procedures and security measures.

School officials are also expected to inspect examination rooms to ensure they are free of unauthorised materials and that desks are properly arranged according to candidates’ index numbers.

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has urged teachers to ensure candidates read, understand and follow all examination instructions.

The council has particularly emphasised punctuality, warning that late arrival could prevent candidates from sitting their papers.

“A candidate who arrives late will be required to give a satisfactory reason to the Supervisor. Only in exceptional circumstances will a paper be given to any candidate who is more than half an hour late,” the examination rules state.

KNEC has also directed centre managers to ensure that supervisors and invigilators assigned to their centres have not served at the same centre for three consecutive years.

The KCSE examination cycle began in January with practical projects in Art and Design, Agriculture, Woodwork, Metalwork, Building Construction and Computer Studies.

The oral and practical examinations will run from Monday, October 19, to Friday, October 30, before the written papers begin on Monday, November 2, with English and Chemistry.

The examination period will end on Friday, November 20, with Physics practicals.

KNEC has warned of severe penalties for examination irregularities. A candidate found to have committed an irregularity in any paper will have the results for the entire subject cancelled and receive a “Y” result overall.

“If there is evidence of wide-spread irregularities in any examination centre, the examination results for the whole centre will be cancelled,” the rules state.