Kenya has recorded the highest national examination candidature in history, with more than 3.5 million learners registered to sit the country's three key national assessments and examinations this year.
Data from the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) shows that the 3.53 million candidates will sit the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) between October and November.
In what education stakeholders describe as a historic milestone, KCSE candidature has crossed the one-million mark, for the first time since the examination was introduced in 1989.
A total of 1.04 million candidates have registered for the 2026 KCSE examination, up from 993,226 candidates last year.
An invigilator distributes KCSE English Paper One question sheets to Nakuru Girls High School candidates on November 3, 2025.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
The record-breaking candidature comes as the country races towards the final phase-out of the 8-4-4 education system from basic education next year and full transition to competency-based education (CBE).
KNEC data further shows that 1.30 million learners have registered for KPSEA, while 1.19 million candidates are expected to sit KJSEA.
The examination council attributes the sharp rise in candidature to heightened public awareness campaigns and increasing demand for the KCSE certificate ahead of the retirement of the 8-4-4 curriculum.
Knec Chief Executive Officer Dr David Njengere said many Kenyans are taking advantage of the remaining opportunity to obtain the KCSE certificate before the examination is discontinued next year.
For the last two years, Knec has been conducting nationwide sensitisation campaigns urging individuals who missed the examination in previous years or wish to improve their grades to register before the final KCSE examination is administered in 2027.
The registration of candidates for the 2026 KCSE examination closed on March 31 this year. According to Knec, candidates will have only one final opportunity to sit the KCSE examination after this year. The last cohort under the 8-4-4 system is currently in Form Three and is expected to sit the final KCSE examination in 2027, bringing to an end more than four decades of the examination-oriented curriculum.
Dr Njengere urged eligible Kenyans to take advantage of the remaining window to complete their secondary education and secure the certificate before the country fully transitions to the CBE system.
Kenya National Examination Council CEO Dr David Njengere makes his remarks during the launch of the 2025 National Examination Assessments Season on October 03, 2025 at New Mitihani House in Nairobi.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
“KNEC appreciates all stakeholders for adhering to our timelines on registration of the 3.5 million candidates in Grades 6, 9 and Form 4. We are now set to prepare their personalised summative assessment papers as we have done in the last two years. We wish the candidates well as they prepare to sit the assessments from October,” said Dr Njengere.
The unprecedented candidature now places KNEC at the centre of one of the largest examination administration exercises ever undertaken in Kenya.
The council will be required to print, personalise, distribute, administer and mark millions of examination and assessment papers across the country while maintaining the integrity of the process.
According to the examination timetable, KCSE rehearsals will begin on October 16, 2026, while rehearsals for KPSEA and KJSEA are scheduled for October 23, 2026.
KPSEA is administered at Grade Six before the learners transition to Junior School. The assessment is primarily designed to monitor learning progress and does not determine placement.
Learners undertaking KPSEA are assessed in key learning areas including mathematics, English, Kiswahili and Integrated Science.
KJSEA, on the other hand, is administered at Grade Nine and marks the completion of junior school under the CBE.
The learners then transition to senior school in Grade 10, where they pursue one of three pathways: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports Science, depending on their interests, abilities and career aspirations for three years.
The year 2025 marked another milestone after Knec successfully administered KJSEA for the first time to more than 1.13 million candidates. Those learners are currently in Grade 10 and form the country's pioneer cohort under the CBE framework.
Education stakeholders say the record candidature demonstrates the enduring value attached to the KCSE certificate despite the country's ongoing curriculum reforms.
National Parents Association chairman Silas Obuhatsa lauded KNEC for aggressively sensitising Kenyans to register for the examination before the end of the 8-4-4 system.
“The registration of more than one million candidates for this year's examination is significant news. With only one year remaining before the 8-4-4 system is phased out, many parents are keen to ensure that children who dropped out of school in Form Two or Form Three get an opportunity to register and sit the examination before the curriculum comes to an end,” said Mr Obuhatsa.
He said the remaining window also provides an opportunity for candidates seeking to improve their previous KCSE grades to register and re-sit the examination.
Kenya Human Rights Commission Deputy Executive Director and Elimu Bora Working Group convenor Cornelius Oduor attributed the increase in candidature to the special opportunity provided by Knec for adults seeking to complete their secondary education journey.
“A number of Kenyans who had previously sat the examination have taken advantage of the opportunity to improve their grades. Others who may have dropped out in Form Two or Form Three have rushed to complete Form Four and register as private candidates. Once this window closes, many Kenyans who did not complete Form Four will not have another opportunity to certify their secondary education under the 8-4-4 system,” said Mr Oduor.
He said the looming phase-out of the KCSE has created urgency among many Kenyans who view the certificate as a critical document for career progression and further education.
However, Mr Oduor urged the government to undertake an aggressive national awareness campaign to ensure that all eligible candidates understand the significance of the final KCSE examinations.
“There are many Kenyans who left school because of school fees challenges, family circumstances or indiscipline cases. Some have gone on to build careers and businesses but still lack academic certification. Others require the certificate to qualify for promotions, professional training opportunities or jobs that require minimum academic qualifications,” he said.
According to Mr Oduor, some candidates are also seeking the certificate to facilitate opportunities abroad where proof of secondary education remains a basic requirement.
Educationist, Jonathan Wesaya said the strong demand for KCSE reflects its continued importance in Kenya's education and employment systems.
He explained that the certificate remains the primary proof of completion of secondary education and continues to serve as a gateway to higher learning and professional development.
“KCSE certificate is important because it is a mark of transition. It opens doors for higher education both locally and internationally and has long served as a standard measure of academic achievement and quality,” said Mr Wesaya.
Universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, teacher training colleges, the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) and other tertiary institutions rely heavily on KCSE grades when admitting students.
Similarly, many employers in both the public and private sectors require applicants to present KCSE certificates as evidence of their academic qualifications.
Entry into professional courses such as nursing, teaching, aviation, engineering, accounting and medicine is also largely determined by KCSE performance.
The education experts said that for many learners who dropped out of school or failed to sit the examination, obtaining the certificate can provide a second chance at furthering their education, skills training and career advancement.
As Kenya prepares for the final years of the 8-4-4 system, the record candidature not only reflects the scale of the country's education sector but also highlights the enduring significance of a certificate that has shaped generations of learners for more than four decades.
