The marking of the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams ended last week on Friday, 13th December.

Teachers who were picked to mark the exams also known as examiners have hinted of this years KCSE results majority saying learners have done well.

Though the details are scanty the examiners shared the general performance of learners this year where majority painted a pleasant picture.

The marking exercise happened in 35 centres which included secondary schools and colleges.

Alliance High School, State House Girls, Sunshine High School, Starehe Girls, Limuru Girls, Thika High, Buruburu High school and Alliance Girls are some of the centres where marking was done.

Others include Murang’a TTC, Moi Forces Academy (Nairobi), Upper Hill High, Loreto Girls, St. Georges High, Lang’ata High, Kenya High, Moi Girls Isinya and Lenana School.

However a number of schools including some top schools were implicated in this years exam malpractices leading to their teachers being blocked from taking part in the marking exercise.

Many candidates are afraid that they may face degrading or tough marking because of the exam cheating incidences in their schools.

This years KCSE saw many teachers being dragged into court over exam malpractices. The cases were rife in Nyanza region.

This is despite Knec introducing new stringent measures to stop cheating in exam centres.

In Siaya a total of 13 teachers were arrested in alleged KCSE exam malpractice. The teachers were released on sh.100K bond each.

In Nandi four teachers including the centre manager of Kamimei Secondary School in Nandi County were arrested after investigations showed that a paper belonging to one candidate of the centre was circulating on social media.

In Homa Bay ten teachers from Pala Masogo Secondary School were slapped with a sh. 2 million bond each.

In Kiambu two candidates from Membley High School were found in possession of unauthorized material inside the examination hall. The two were caught with mobile phones just before sitting on the paper.

Ministry of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the results for the 2024 KCSE candidates shall be released in January after the festivities.

The KCSE exams officially came to an end on November 22, 2024, which saw the commencement of marking by examiners.

A total number of 965,501 candidates had been registered to sit for the national examinations, according to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).

CS Ogamba while speaking on Wednesday, December 11 announced that the results will be released in January 2025. 

KNEC has recently rejected reports detailing the grading system that will be used in this years KCSE.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), KNEC on Wednesday refuted online claims showing a new grading system for the exams.

The council denied reports suggesting that the grading system for this year’s exams had been finalized.

KNEC also rejected rumors that changes were being made to the national exams to benefit certain students who had paid for the service.

KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere clarified that the documents circulating online, which supposedly invited students to alter their marks, were fraudulent.

According to the council, the marking of exams is a confidential process, and it does not disclose the identities of examiners involved.

The council also rejected claims that some rejected examiners came from schools suspected of being involved in exam malpractices.

“Marking of exams is a confidential process, and KNEC may not disclose the identities of the examiners. KNEC undertakes due diligence in inviting examiners to ensure reliability and credibility of the process,” Njengere said.

Students who have reached the age of 18 will be issued with identity cards and registered as voters while still in school if a new Bill before Parliament is passed.

The Registration of Persons (Amendment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, seeks to amend Section 107 of the Registration of Persons Act to allow for the students registration.

Following the commencement of the exams back in October, State Department for Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok directed that all 2024 KCSE candidates be issued with the new generation National Identity (ID) cards dubbed Maisha Cards before the examinations ended.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Education, Research and Technology committee, PS Bitok highlighted that the issuance of ID cards to those who will have attained 18 years and above was intended to ease access to university education and other tertiary institutions. 

The PS while issuing the directive said that besides easing access for tertiary education, it will ease access to Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and scholarships.

In addition, he highlighted that the joint exercise, led by the Ministries of Interior and Education, will ensure students who join universities and colleges are not disadvantaged by missing identification documents.

“We have mobilized our registration officers across the country to issue Maisha Cards to eligible candidates to enable those who qualify to join local or international universities, apply for Higher Education Loans Board, scholarships and other post-high school pursuits,” said Bitok.

The government has been accelerating the issuance of the new-generation National Identity Cards after the High Court earlier this year lifted previous orders that had halted the Ministry of Interior from processing new ID card applications, since December 5th, 2023.

The marking of the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams ended last week on Friday, 13th December.

Teachers who were picked to mark the exams also known as examiners have hinted of this years KCSE results majority saying learners have done well.

Though the details are scanty the examiners shared the general performance of learners this year where majority painted a pleasant picture.

The marking exercise happened in 35 centres which included secondary schools and colleges.

Alliance High School, State House Girls, Sunshine High School, Starehe Girls, Limuru Girls, Thika High, Buruburu High school and Alliance Girls are some of the centres where marking was done.

Others include Murang’a TTC, Moi Forces Academy (Nairobi), Upper Hill High, Loreto Girls, St. Georges High, Lang’ata High, Kenya High, Moi Girls Isinya and Lenana School.

However a number of schools including some top schools were implicated in this years exam malpractices leading to their teachers being blocked from taking part in the marking exercise.

Many candidates are afraid that they may face degrading or tough marking because of the exam cheating incidences in their schools.

This years KCSE saw many teachers being dragged into court over exam malpractices. The cases were rife in Nyanza region.

This is despite Knec introducing new stringent measures to stop cheating in exam centres.

In Siaya a total of 13 teachers were arrested in alleged KCSE exam malpractice. The teachers were released on sh.100K bond each.

In Nandi four teachers including the centre manager of Kamimei Secondary School in Nandi County were arrested after investigations showed that a paper belonging to one candidate of the centre was circulating on social media.

In Homa Bay ten teachers from Pala Masogo Secondary School were slapped with a sh. 2 million bond each.

In Kiambu two candidates from Membley High School were found in possession of unauthorized material inside the examination hall. The two were caught with mobile phones just before sitting on the paper.

Ministry of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the results for the 2024 KCSE candidates shall be released in January after the festivities.

The KCSE exams officially came to an end on November 22, 2024, which saw the commencement of marking by examiners.

A total number of 965,501 candidates had been registered to sit for the national examinations, according to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).

CS Ogamba while speaking on Wednesday, December 11 announced that the results will be released in January 2025. 

KNEC has recently rejected reports detailing the grading system that will be used in this years KCSE.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), KNEC on Wednesday refuted online claims showing a new grading system for the exams.

The council denied reports suggesting that the grading system for this year’s exams had been finalized.

KNEC also rejected rumors that changes were being made to the national exams to benefit certain students who had paid for the service.

KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere clarified that the documents circulating online, which supposedly invited students to alter their marks, were fraudulent.

According to the council, the marking of exams is a confidential process, and it does not disclose the identities of examiners involved.

The council also rejected claims that some rejected examiners came from schools suspected of being involved in exam malpractices.

“Marking of exams is a confidential process, and KNEC may not disclose the identities of the examiners. KNEC undertakes due diligence in inviting examiners to ensure reliability and credibility of the process,” Njengere said.

Students who have reached the age of 18 will be issued with identity cards and registered as voters while still in school if a new Bill before Parliament is passed.

The Registration of Persons (Amendment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, seeks to amend Section 107 of the Registration of Persons Act to allow for the students registration.

Following the commencement of the exams back in October, State Department for Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok directed that all 2024 KCSE candidates be issued with the new generation National Identity (ID) cards dubbed Maisha Cards before the examinations ended.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Education, Research and Technology committee, PS Bitok highlighted that the issuance of ID cards to those who will have attained 18 years and above was intended to ease access to university education and other tertiary institutions. 

The PS while issuing the directive said that besides easing access for tertiary education, it will ease access to Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and scholarships.

In addition, he highlighted that the joint exercise, led by the Ministries of Interior and Education, will ensure students who join universities and colleges are not disadvantaged by missing identification documents.

“We have mobilized our registration officers across the country to issue Maisha Cards to eligible candidates to enable those who qualify to join local or international universities, apply for Higher Education Loans Board, scholarships and other post-high school pursuits,” said Bitok.

The government has been accelerating the issuance of the new-generation National Identity Cards after the High Court earlier this year lifted previous orders that had halted the Ministry of Interior from processing new ID card applications, since December 5th, 2023.