Kenya’s 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams have concluded, but 418 candidates have been flagged for suspected cheating, highlighting ongoing vigilance by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to safeguard exam integrity. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba reiterated that all irregularities will be investigated thoroughly, while 32,558 examiners have been deployed across 40 marking centres to begin processing the results.
The examinations, which ran from October 21 to November 21, involved nearly 996,000 candidates, making it one of the largest national exam sittings in Kenya’s history. KNEC introduced several measures to ensure transparency, including secure storage containers for exam papers and strict supervision at all centres. Candidates undertook oral, practical, and written assessments in subjects including languages, music, and Kenyan Sign Language, while marked papers will undergo verification to prevent errors before official release.
Public reaction to the flagged cases has been mixed, with parents and educators stressing the importance of honesty and integrity in national exams. Faith Nyaanga, a concerned parent, commented, Cheating may seem like a shortcut, but it steals from your own growth. Teachers must continue guiding students to value hard work and true learning. Despite the irregularities, many stakeholders remain optimistic that the results, expected in January 2026, will reflect genuine student performance and provide a fair basis for tertiary education placements.