The days of desperate trips to Mitihani House to replace lost certificates are over. KNEC has officially rolled out e-certificates for the 2023 cohort onwards.

In a landmark move towards digital governance, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has announced the introduction of electronic certificates for all national examinations. The system, which begins its pilot phase this week, will initially cover candidates who sat for KCPE and KCSE from 2023 to present. This is a game-changer for millions of job seekers and students.

"We are solving three problems at once: fraud, cost, and convenience," CS Ogamba stated during the launch. The secure digital certificates come with QR codes that allow employers and universities to instantly verify authenticity, effectively killing the "River Road" fake certificate industry overnight.

How It Works

The system is integrated with the e-Citizen platform. Candidates can:

• Log in to the KNEC portal.
• Download a verifiable PDF of their certificate.
• Share a secure link with prospective employers.

While the digital shift is celebrated, KNEC was quick to clarify that physical certificates are not obsolete. "The paper certificate remains a valid legal tender of education," a KNEC official assured. "The e-certificate is its digital twin."

This modernization brings Kenya in line with global best practices. However, concerns about data privacy and system uptime remain valid, given the government's recent struggles with digital platform stability. If successful, this project will finally retire the age-old excuse: "My certificate is still at home."