Kenya: 3,6 Million Prepare For 2026 Exams

What the report says

Kenya’s National Examinations Council has announced the 2026 national exam and assessment season, with testing set to run from October 16 to November 20 in Nairobi, according to Capital FM, distributed by AllAfrica. KNEC says it will oversee the process for 3,634,846 candidates, using 342,005 contracted professionals to administer and manage the field operations.

The rollout covers the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment. Officials said the total number of candidates is up from 2025, and that KCSE participation has crossed the one-million mark for the first time. KNEC Chief Executive David Njengere said preparations were in place to support a smooth exercise and protect the credibility of the results.

The council is tightening security, including wider use of smart padlocks on storage containers, restricted access times for papers, and increased screening of mobile-phone use at exam centres. For KCSE, KNEC will deploy centre managers, supervisors, invigilators and security officers, with at least two police officers at each centre. Education officials also warned that heavy rains and possible flooding could affect logistics, and said contingency plans are being readied.

The broader context is Kenya’s ongoing shift toward competency-based education, with KPSEA and KJSEA now part of the national assessment framework. KNEC also says it will run a 24-hour call centre during the exam period for reporting problems and seeking help.