The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has opened the registration window for candidates wishing to sit the November 2026 Business and Technical examinations, calling on accredited training institutions to ensure all registration requirements are fulfilled before the exercise closes.
The examinations target post-school learners who have completed either primary or secondary education and are pursuing technical and vocational training in approved institutions across the country.
Eligible candidates include trainees enrolled in National Polytechnics, Technical Training Institutes (TTIs), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, and Vocational Training Centres.
In registration guidelines published on its website, KNEC said the exercise will be conducted exclusively through its online examination portal and must be undertaken by accredited training institutions on behalf of their candidates.
The council reiterated that payment of examination fees and submission of registration details online alone do not guarantee successful registration.
"All other conditions must also be fulfilled like meeting the minimum entry requirement for a course, for one to be deemed registered for an examination," KNEC said in the guidelines.
KNEC also reminded institutions that there will be no late registration period, urging them to complete the process within the prescribed timelines to avoid locking out eligible candidates from the November examinations.
The council further directed heads of institutions to carefully verify candidates' personal details before submitting them, noting that they bear full responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the registration data.
Institutions are also required to upload recent passport-size photographs for every candidate through the registration portal to facilitate identity verification during examination administration.
Repeat candidates will not be allowed to register for both referral paper and the subsequent module within the same examination series, saying such entries will not be accepted.
The Business and Technical examinations are administered twice each year—in July and November—under the Business and Technical Examinations Programme (BTEP) and the Business and Vocational Training Examinations (BVTET).
They are designed to equip trainees with practical and occupational competencies required in the labour market while providing a clear pathway for academic progression.
Under the programme, candidates can advance from Certificate to Diploma and Higher Diploma qualifications, with Diploma graduates becoming eligible for admission into degree programmes at universities and other recognised institutions of higher learning.
The examinations are organised under two categories. The first is the Single and Group category, which allows candidates to progressively complete individual examination papers and earn elementary, intermediate and advanced certificates.
Those who attain the advanced certificate can proceed to Higher Diploma studies or degree programmes, subject to institutional admission requirements.
The second is the Artisan category, which places greater emphasis on practical skills acquisition. Candidates are assessed mainly through practical examinations and are awarded certificates, diplomas or higher diplomas upon meeting the required standards.
