The decision by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to administer the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations in July this year has been suspended.
This is after KNEC released guidelines regarding the conduct and administration of the July 2025 KCSE series examination.
The High Court however on January 29, 2024, temporarily halted the process after Nakuru-based surgeon Dr. Magare Gikenyi filed a petition challenging the move citing a lack of public participation.
In the new petition seeking to have the tests stopped, Dr. Gikenyi sued KNEC arguing that the introduction of the mid-year KCSE series violates students’ rights and unfairly impacts students and exam integrity.
“The application has met the threshold for granting of conservatory orders at this stage. I proceed to issue conservatory orders…to preserve the subject matter pending interpartes hearing,” Kisii High Court Lady Justice Odera Teresa Achieng ruled.
KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njeng’ere is listed as the second respondent in the suit.
Others included are Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and the Attorney-General.
The petitioner has also listed the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association, Kenya Private Schools Association and Kenya Parents Association as interested parties.
KNEC sued
Dr. Gikenyi contends that the exams unfairly disadvantage candidates by reducing their preparation time and creating two classes of candidates with different examination schedules.
Also Read: KNEC Issues Directive to All Schools Over KCSE 2024 Printouts
The petitioner further argues that candidates will be denied their “legitimate expectation” to prepare and sit the exams traditionally held in November.
“The mandatory nature (as opposed to choosing either to sit for July or November examination series) goes against the right of every individual to choose the examination which is convenient to him or her so as to enjoy the rights and fundamental freedoms in the Bill of Rights to the greatest extent as provided in Article 20(2) of the Constitution,” the petition reads.
“If this honourable court does not stop the illegal actions and or omissions done by the respondents, then the outlined constitutional violations will continue against the rule of law and principles of good governance.”
He further notes that the shortened registration period disadvantages repeaters and private candidates who must self-fund their exams without government support.
The petition comes following the release of the July KCSE series guidelines by KNEC after CS Ogamba stated in January 2025 that dissatisfied KCSE candidates would be allowed to retake the exams in July 2025.
Speaking during the release of 2024 KCSE results, CS Ogamba announced that the KCSE mid-year exam series set to be introduced this year will accommodate students who miss exams or wish to retake them.
The decision is also set to benefit over 840 candidates whose results were nullified after investigations confirmed their involvement in malpractice during the 2024 KCSE examinations.
Registration of candidates for the July KCSE series announced
According to KNEC, the registration period for the July series will commence on Monday, January 27, and end on Friday, February 21, 2025.
The registration process will be coordinated and conducted at County headquarters through the offices of County Directors of Education (CDEs) on the KNEC registration portal.
Also Read: KNEC Reveals Who Is Not Eligible to Sit KCSE July Series Exam
The July series is set to target listed categories of candidates which include repeaters (candidates who have sat the KCSE examination in previous years), wishing to improve on their grades.
These includes full repeaters (registering for seven or more subjects) or partial repeaters (registering for less than seven subjects).
“Any candidate wishing to repeat (full repeaters or partial repeaters) will be allowed to do so, regardless of the year they sat their KCSE examination, as long as there is proof of having registered for KCSE examination previously,” said KNEC in the circular.
Candidates who had registered for KCSE examination but were unable to sit the examination due to unforeseen circumstances such as sickness, and adult learners who are not in regular schools but have proof of the requisite primary education qualifications, are also eligible for the retake exams.
Registration fees and Examination Timetable
KNEC noted that all repeaters and private candidates must register for the July series and not the November KCSE examination series.
According to the examining body, candidates will be required to present original and copies of several documents which are mandatory for successful registration.
These include original and copies of statutory identification documents (National Identity (ID) card/Birth Certificate/Passport), the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination certificate, KCSE examination result slip/certificate for repeaters, and a soft copy of the candidate’s passport photograph.
KNEC announced that the fees payable for the retake exams will be Ksh7,200 and shall be borne by the candidate.
The fees shall be paid at the point of registration through E-Citizen, as per the details provided in the KNEC registration platform.
Also, the examining council issued a timetable for the KCSE examination July series noting that theory and practical papers will be administered from July 1 to August 1, 2025.
On the other projects for Art and Design (442); Agriculture (443); Woodwork (444); Metalwork (445); Building Construction (446); and Computer Studies (451) will be administered between January and July 2025.
The theory and practical papers will be administered at County headquarters, while projects will be administered at sub-county level, in institutions to be identified by the respective SCDEs.
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