The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has rolled out advanced security measures for the 2025 national examinations, including smart digital padlocks and personalized exam papers, aimed at curbing malpractice and ensuring transparency. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba unveiled the measures during the opening of a KNEC container at the Bureti Deputy County Commissioner’s offices in Litein. The new digital padlocks, installed in 250 examination storage containers nationwide, are linked to the KNEC command centre, allowing real-time monitoring of when containers are opened and closed.
In addition to smart locks, KNEC has introduced personalized question papers that feature each candidate’s name and a unique identification number. Students will write their answers directly in the booklets, and after the exams, the identification section is detached for independent marking, a process designed to eliminate bias. Mobile phones are now banned within exam centres, and collection of KCSE exam materials will occur twice daily, with KPSEA and KJSEA materials collected once each morning. These measures accompany the first national assessments for Grade 9 learners, alongside ongoing examinations for Grade 6 students.
The initiatives have been welcomed by education stakeholders as a significant step toward improving integrity in Kenya’s national exams. CS Ogamba emphasized that the national police service will oversee KCSE security, while school-based arrangements will manage KPSEA and KJSEA exams. By combining technology with stricter procedural controls, KNEC aims to safeguard the exam process, ensuring that the results reflect the true performance of learners. The 2025 exams, running through late October to November, are part of the broader effort to maintain credibility as the country transitions to more modernized assessment methods.