Details have emerged that the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) has postponed the payment of 2025 contracted professionals after revelation that it missed funding in the recent approved supplementary budget.
A source close to the Council says teachers will have to wait after the July budget before they can be paid their Knec dues.
President William Ruto had on Wednesday 8th April assented to the Supplementary Appropriations Bill, 2026, at State House Nairobi making it a law which increased total government expenditure by sh 393 billion from sh 4.3 trillion to sh 4.69 trillion.
“It aligns the national budget to address urgent and emerging priorities, including critical security operations, disaster response, and strategic infrastructure investments,” Ruto had said.
However the education sector only received sh 45.28 billion instead of sh 66 billion which had earlier been proposed.
Basic Education Principal Secretary, Julius Bitok, had called for speedy approval of the sh 66 billion supplementary budget after pressure piled for Knec to pay invigilators.
Bitok had urged MPs to approve the funding which he had said will be used to pay Knec invigilators, school capitation and ASAL school feeding programme.
Surprisingly this budget was downsized heavily affecting key budget allocations including Knec payment to examiners and invigilators.
Breakdown of Education Sector funding in the Supplementary Budget
- sh 24.2 billion allcoated to TSC to cover salary shortfalls and teachers SHA contributions
- sh 4.1 billion for HELB
- sh 3.88 billion to clear 2017 – 2021 university salary arrears and to support TVET Wings to Fly programme
- sh 6 billion for higher education for Moi and Kabarnet university
- sh 1.5 for university funding board
- sh 3 billion for TSC pending bills for tecahers medical cover
- sh 2.6 billion for Kenya – China TVET project phase III
Knec recently refuted a viral post dated 8th April, which had claimed the Council has received funding from the National Treasury for paying invigilators and examiners their dues.
Some union officials have threatened to storm the Knec Mitihani House to demand immediate payment of exam invigilators.
Both Knut and Kuppet, have also threatened to boycott the 2026 national exams and assessments unless a lasting solution on payment of invigilators is found.
Each year Knec contracts professionals who assist in the national exercise. They include teachers, drivers and security personnel.
Though Knec does not pay for services rendered by teachers in exam centres, it reimburses transport fares after national exams are concluded, marked and results released to the public.
Some teachers have previously complained to the Council after missing payment when payment of dues was done.
Knec says the delays are mostly due to data mismatches and documentation.
“Delays have in some cases been linked to data mismatches, documentation requirements (such as properly signed and stamped attendance registers), and verification processes necessary for accurate payment disbursement. We urge those affected to confirm that their details in the Contracted Professionals (CP2) system match their official identification and mobile money registration information to facilitate processing,” said Knec.
Knec has previously listed possible reasons why some teachers miss payment and the remedy for this.
Reason 1
Name mismatch: The CP2 name and M-Pesa name of the phone number provided do not match.
Solution
Create a new CP2 account with a registered Safaricom (M-Pesa) number matching your ID details.
Reason 2
Missing ID number or TSC/PF number
Solution
Login to the CP2 portal and update your details with the correct data.
Reason 3
Missing documentation (Attendance registers were not submitted or were submitted but lack official stamps and signatures).
Solution
Centre managers to download the attendance registers from the CP2 portal, verify the details, sign, stamp and submit them to the Sub-County Director of Education (SCDE), who will forward the updated documents to KNEC.
Reason 4
Contracted professionals who worked but were not deployed in the CP2 portal.
Solution
Contact your SCDE and register your query for onward submission to KNEC. Include the following: Year invigilated or supervised Exam invigilated or supervised Code of centre invigilated or supervised Name of officer Role in the exam/assessment centre, Safaricom M-pesa number that matches your ID details.
Reason 5
Slow response to KNEC requests for facilitation of data and/or late delivery of accurate and complete Contracted Professionals’ data.
Solution
KNEC processes complete and accurate data as it is received. Clean up your data and resend through the SCDE.
KPSEA INVIGILATORS
sh 550 per day for 3 days equals sh 1,680
KJSEA INVIGILATORS
sh 550 per day for 6 days equals sh 3,300
KPSEA & KJSEA SUPERVISORS
sh 680 per day for 6 days equals sh 4,080
KCSE SUPERVISORS
sh 680 per day for 16 days equals sh 10,880
KCSE INVIGILATORS
sh 550 per day for 16 days equals sh 8,800
CENTRE MANAGERS
sh 550 per day for KPSEA and KJSEA and KCSE