Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Migos Ogamba has announced the introduction of a mid-year series of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, set to take place annually in July.
The CS on Thursday, January 9, 2025, during the release of 2024 KCSE results at Mitihani House said that the new examination series would cater to candidates who wish to retake the national exams and those who missed the previous exam due to illness or unforeseen hardships.
In addition, the initiative set to start this year also seeks to consider adult candidates.
“Starting this year, and following extensive stakeholder consultations, I wish to announce that KNEC will introduce a mid-year series of the KCSE examination, to be administered in July every year.
“The examination will target candidates wishing to repeat the KCSE examination, and those who may have missed sitting an examination due to sickness or other unexpected hardships. Adult candidates may also consider registering for the July KCSE series examination,” the CS announced.
According to the CS, the mid-year KCSE series exams will offer an alternative for candidates who might have had to wait until the following year to sit the national examination.
2024 KCSE irregularities
Ogamba further disclosed that more than 800 students will be unable to get their last year’s national examination results due to irregularities.
“There were 840 candidates who were involved in examination irregularities in 2024, and their results have been cancelled. The results of 2829 candidates suspected to have been involved in exam irregularities have been withheld pending investigations. 91 contracted professionals were reported to have been involved in aiding exam malpractices,” Ogamba said.
He further noted that the ministry will investigate candidates who were suspected to have been involved in irregularities during examinations before their results are released.
“Thus, the results of the 2,829 candidates suspected of having been involved in the examination irregularities have been withheld pending completion of investigations that should be completed within a period of 30 days from the official day of release of examination results,” he added.
2024 KCSE EXAM RESULTS pic.twitter.com/WVo9Evw9ST
— The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) (@KNECKenya) January 9, 2025
