The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) has introduced a new requirement in the registration of 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations.
Knec in a circular dated 25th February 2023 had ordered schools to register learners for this years KCPE and KCSE exams.
According to the Council the registration exercise ends on 30th March. This years KCPE is the last.
Heads of institutions were asked to ensure accuracy of the registration data for all candidates, including:
Correct spellings and order of candidates’ names as documented in their Birth Certificates,
Gender,
Year of birth,
Citizenship,
Subjects registered for and Information on different categories of candidates with special needs and disabilities (i.e. Visual Impairments (totally blind who require Braille / Low Vision); hearing impairment and physical impairment).
However Knec had not introduced the new requirement which it says will make the registration valid.
Many schools had already completed registration of their candidates, some had even published the nominal roll and the requirement was by then not available.
In the new mandatory requirement, Knec wants details of parents for the KCPE candidates.
The examiner wants parents names and their mobile numbers submitted in the online registration portal.
In the circular also said Examination centres with less than thirty (30) candidates shall be hosted in examination centres that shall be identified by Sub-County Directors, in line with the guidelines it provided.
Schools with less than five (5) candidates are however not allowed to register candidates for the 2023 examinations as independent examination centres.
Knec advised such schools to liaise with the respective Sub-County Directors of Education (SCDEs) to identify an approved KNEC examination centre with more than five (5) candidates for their learners to be registered.
Heads of institutions were asked to present all registration documents for the centres in their respective SCDEs’ offices on 3rd April, 2023 for verification by the SCDEs and KNEC officers before submission.