Teachers’ unions have intensified pressure on the Ministry of Education and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) over delayed payments to examiners, despite its record budget allocation.
President William Ruto has also boasted in various public engagements of hiring over 100,000 teachers within three years, saying the achievement would have taken up to 20 years under previous systems.
The remarks come against a backdrop of growing frustration among examiners and other contracted education officials over delayed payments, raising questions about the gap between staffing milestones and the welfare of the professionals involved in administering national examinations.
The head of state has also hosted teachers and other delegations at the State House, blowing up millions in allowances for attendees.
An audit of public schools across the country has also exposed over 900,000 ghost learners, allegedly draining the government of Ksh 91 million annually.
The verification report on public primary and secondary school enrolment revealed major discrepancies between NEMIS records and actual student numbers, with 27 non-operational schools reportedly drawing millions in capitation funds.
Ministry of Education Takes Lion’s Share in 2025/2026 Budget
The Ministry has consistently sought to allay concerns among examiners and other officials administering the 2025 KCSE exams, assuring them since January that all outstanding payments will be settled, yet many have not received their dues.
KNEC and the Ministry have been flagging fake notices concerning payment of examination officials, but they have not come out openly on when exactly their dues will reflect in their accounts
The dispute comes even as the education sector received the lion’s share of the national budget, with Ksh 702.7 billion allocated for the 2025/26 financial year, including Ksh 5.9 billion for the administration of national examinations and assessments.
The 2025–26 budget initially had no provision for examinations, forcing education stakeholders to push for intervention.
In May last year, the National Assembly approved Ksh 5.9 billion for KNEC, short of the required Ksh 12.58 billion, leaving a significant funding gap.
To bridge the deficit, the National Treasury later provided an additional Ksh3.1 billion.
Also Read: Kenyans React as Govt Allocates Ksh 95 to Each Learner
Examiners’ Pay Delay Deepens as Ministry, KNEC Continue “Assuring” Payments
A total of 107,447 personnel supported the administration of the 2025 national examinations, including 30,980 examiners. Others involved were officials from the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), as well as security officers, supervisors, invigilators, and centre managers.
About 45,000 examiners handling KCSE and KJSEA are owed about Ksh2.7 billion, with the delays now stretching into May.
This is despite the Ministry of Education confirming in February that it had formally requested the National Treasury to release the required funds.
In a statement issued on February 12, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba attributed the delays to broader fiscal challenges.
“The delays in disbursement of allowances have arisen from budgetary and cash flow constraints currently affecting the release of funds. We wish to assure all affected professionals that payment remains a priority,” he said.
“The ministry, in collaboration with the National Treasury, is actively working to resolve the matter and expedite the release of the requisite funds within the shortest time possible.”
Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok has also acknowledged the delays, noting that the Ministry is working with the National Treasury to fast-track payments “soon”.
He said the matter had been escalated to President William Ruto, with further directives issued to the National Treasury, and that teachers will be paid before the end of May.
“I went to the State House to request the support of President William Ruto on teachers’ payments. He called the Treasury, directing them to provide money for the payment of teachers as soon as possible. I want to assure teachers that they will be paid in the next few weeks, before the end of this month,” said Bitok.
Also Read: KNEC Opens SMS Service to Confirm Registration of 2026 Exams; How to Check
KUPPET Threatens Boycott Over Delayed KNEC Payments
However, the assurances appear to have done little to calm tensions, with many examiners expressing growing frustration over the continued delays. Unions say the assurances have done little to ease frustration on the ground.
Speaking to The Kenya Times, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Bungoma branch Secretary General, Augustine Kundu Luketelo, expressed disappointment, accusing KNEC of placing an unfair financial burden on teachers.
“As a union, we are very disappointed with KNEC. We believe KNEC is profiting from teachers. When teachers go for KNEC training, they are required to pay KSh 10,000. Teachers have not been able to pay school fees, buy fertilizer, or feed their families,” he said.
Luketelo noted that KNEC has been conducting training multiple times a year—in April and August, with plans for December—yet teachers are required to pay the same amount, while attendance does not guarantee selection for marking.
He added that they have advised members to stop attending the training, arguing that there is no assurance that those who undergo training will be picked to mark examinations.
The trade unionist further noted that since last year, some teachers have not been paid, a situation that remains unresolved even as it is already May.
He further warned that teachers may boycott the next marking exercise unless payments are made and clear terms agreed upon.
“As a union, we maintain that teachers will not report to marking centres this year unless they are paid. KNEC has not communicated on these delays,” he said.
He revealed that the union is now pushing for a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with KNEC to define payment rates, timelines, and settlement transparency.
“We insist on an MoU that clearly outlines what a teacher will be paid per paper, when payments will be made, and ensures that before leaving the marking centre, a teacher knows any outstanding balances and when they will reflect in their accounts,” Luketelo stated.
Examiners Cry Foul Over Pay Delays
Teachers who took part in the marking and administration of the exams have taken to online platforms to demand that the council honours its end of the bargain by disbursing their allowances.
“There’s no way you can treat an exam like an emergency. Everything was budgeted for. So stop these games of ‘Treasury this and that'”, an X user @collins-barasa said.
One user, @kevine, asked: “Can we trace the clip of the Minister’s address to Parliament concerning payment of KNEC Contracted Professionals? From his speech in that clip, when are they paying the Contracted Professionals?
Another user, @BobMosaisi, posted: “Are you people aware that examiners and other 2025 contracted professionals have not been paid? What is wrong with this government, really?”
@sifunatim2019, added: “Pay your contracted professionals. Can any lawyer tell us if we can sue for breach of contract, please? It’s 6 months now without pay for the work done.”
The issue has also drawn attention in Parliament. On February 20, Emuhaya MP and KUPPET national chairperson Omboko Milemba sought answers from the National Assembly Committee on Education over the prolonged delays.
“The said teachers devoted their time to critical national service, often working under demanding conditions and away from their families. Unfortunately, the council is yet to disburse approximately Sh2.7 billion owed to the teachers as remuneration for their services,” Milemba said.
