Teachers Alarmed by Reports of New KCSE Invigilation Plan, KNEC Responds.
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has dismissed reports alleging that it is planning to recruit qualified non-teachers to supervise and invigilate national examinations, including the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
Reports circulating on Wednesday, June 17, claimed that KNEC was considering a significant policy shift that would allow trained and vetted non-teaching personnel to undertake examination supervision and invigilation duties, moving away from the council’s long-standing practice of engaging teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
According to the reports, the proposed model would mirror the staffing approach adopted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which recruits temporary personnel to conduct election-related activities during electoral periods.
The reports further indicated that the alleged proposal emerged amid concerns over delayed payments to teachers who participated in the administration of the 2025 national examinations. However, KNEC dismissed the claims and described the reports as fake.
The council has traditionally relied on teachers registered and employed by the Teachers Service Commission to undertake examination management duties, including supervision, invigilation, coordination, and marking of national examinations.
The reports surfaced at a time when concerns have continued to be raised regarding delays in the payment of teachers who participated in the administration of the 2025 national examinations.
In recent months, teachers have called for measures aimed at strengthening accountability in the management of examination-related payments. Among the proposals advanced by educators is the establishment of a formal contractual framework between the Teachers Service Commission and the Kenya National Examinations Council to govern examination assignments and remuneration.
Teachers have also raised concerns regarding the financial impact of delayed payments, citing difficulties in settling financial obligations incurred during the examination period and calling for timely compensation for services rendered.
In May 2026, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) directed its members to boycott invigilation and marking duties for the 2026 national examinations over outstanding arrears related to the 2025 examination cycle.
The union stated that the boycott would remain in force until the government settled Ksh1.5 billion owed to teachers for services rendered during the administration of the 2025 national examinations.
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Subsequently, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced that the government would release Ksh1.5 billion to the Kenya National Examinations Council before July to facilitate the settlement of pending obligations, including payments to examiners.
The announcement followed sustained concerns from teachers regarding delayed compensation and came amid continued expectations that the outstanding payments would be processed following previous commitments by government agencies.
KNEC has maintained that the reports alleging plans to recruit non-teachers for national examination supervision and invigilation are false and has not announced any policy changes regarding the engagement of personnel for the administration of KCSE, KJSEA, or other national examinations.
Teachers Alarmed by Reports of New KCSE Invigilation Plan, KNEC Responds.
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