The Government of Kenya, through a multi-agency team, has announced a comprehensive set of enhanced measures to ensure the credibility of the 2025 national examinations, which commenced on Monday, October 21, 2025, and will conclude on Friday, November 21, 2025. This year, a record 3,424,836 candidates are registered for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), and the inaugural Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).

In a significant move to deter impersonation, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has introduced personalised question papers for all KCSE and KJSEA candidates. According to KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njeng'ere, each examination paper will be printed with the candidate's name and index number. Candidates will be required to sign both the paper and a detachable counterfoil, which will be collected and submitted separately for accountability.

Technological and Logistical Reinforcements

To further secure examination materials, KNEC is piloting the use of digital smart padlocks on 250 of the 642 storage containers distributed nationwide. These smart locks provide a digital audit trail, allowing for real-time monitoring of who accesses the containers, when, and for how long, thus minimizing the risk of leaks. The council has also continued the practice of double collection for KCSE papers, where scripts for the second session of the day are released from storage just before the exam is scheduled to start, a strategy credited with reducing early exposure in previous years.

A massive logistical operation is underway to support the examinations, with 342,687 contracted professionals, including centre managers, supervisors, invigilators, and security personnel, deployed across the country. This operation is managed through a multi-agency approach that brings together the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the Ministry of ICT, and the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA).

Strict Security and Severe Penalties

Security has been intensified, with at least two police officers deployed at each of the nation's KCSE examination centres. However, for KPSEA and KJSEA centres, police presence will be reduced, with officers primarily tasked with securing the collection and return of exam materials from the storage containers. All examination centres have been declared out-of-bounds for unauthorised persons to prevent interference.

Officials have issued stern warnings against any form of malpractice, reminding candidates, parents, and examination administrators of the severe penalties stipulated in the KNEC Act No. 29 of 2012. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba stated that anyone caught engaging in exam irregularities will face immediate arrest and prosecution. Penalties for offences such as impersonation can lead to imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to KSh 2 million, along with a three-year ban from taking any KNEC exam. Gaining unauthorised access to exam materials carries a penalty of up to five years in prison or a KSh 5 million fine. If a candidate is found cheating in any paper, the results for the entire subject will be cancelled.

The government has urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to the examinations through KNEC's toll-free lines (0800721410 and 0800724900) or to report misconduct by police officers directly to IPOA at 1559. These measures underscore a determined effort by the state to uphold the integrity of Kenya's education system as over three million learners transition to the next stages of their academic and professional journeys.