KNEC issues final guidelines ahead of KJSEA and KPSEA national exams
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has issued a final set of guidelines ahead of the start of the 2025 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), set to kick off on Monday, October 27, 2025.
In an update released on Sunday, October 26, 2025, the exam authority confirmed that the two assessments would run concurrently with the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), which is currently in week two.
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“The 2025 KPSEA and KJSEA start tomorrow as the KCSE examination enters the second week. Field officers are reminded as follows. Containers to be opened at 6 am for KPSEA and KJSEA, and 7 am for KCSE phones of all personnel in the centre to be locked up, and the key kept by the supervisor,” the X post read in part.
As per the rules, containers holding examination papers for KPSEA and KJSEA should be opened at 6 am, while KCSE containers will be officially opened at 7 am across the country.
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Further, mobile phones belonging to personnel at an examination centre will need to be locked up as a requirement, with the key set to be in the supervisor’s possession.
Another key requirement is that all centre managers should have an approved list of authorised persons within the examination centre. These individuals must carry national identification cards for verification.
“All centre managers must have the approved list of persons in the centre who must have national ID cards for identification,” KNEC said.
The council also warned supervisors against making the critical error of opening examination packets before time, potentially leading to mix-ups.
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) is scheduled to take place from October 27-30,2025. The four-day examination is meant for Grade 6 learners and is part of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA), which targets learners with special needs at the intermediate level, will run from October 27 to October 31.
KNEC message to candidates
At the same time, KNEC has assured the public of its readiness to administer national examinations to more than 3.4 million candidates this year, while issuing a stern warning against any form of exam malpractice.
In a message to 2025 candidates, KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njeng’ere said preparations for the KPSEA, KJSEA, and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams are complete.
Njeng’ere urged candidates to remain calm as the summative assessments for Grade 6 and Grade 9 begin, noting that 40 percent of their marks have already been captured through formative assessments.
“There is no cause for alarm,” he said.
He, however, cautioned candidates and exam officials against engaging in any irregularities, emphasizing that integrity remains central to the examination process.
“Last year, KCSE examination results for 711 candidates were cancelled due to malpractice. It was a painful decision, but necessary to enforce integrity,” he noted.
Njeng’ere further warned that no one should be found with a phone in an examination or assessment centre, urging all candidates to uphold honesty.
