KNEC to clear all 2025 exam dues by August 6

Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Chief Executive Officer Dr. David Njengere during release of 2025 KCSE examination results on January 9, 2026. [Jenipher Wachie, Standard]

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has announced that all pending payments for the 2025 national examination personnel will be settled by Thursday, August 6.

KNEC Chief Executive Officer Dr. David Njengere said the council received Sh4.95 billion on Monday, enabling it to begin clearing outstanding payments owed to thousands of examination officials who administered the 2025 national examinations.

"We have received Sh4.95 billion. We will utilise Sh2.5 billion to pay last year's pending bills comprising supervisors and invigilators, centre managers, security personnel and marking centres," said Dr. Njengere when he appeared before National Assembly Education Committee on Tuesday.

The announcement brings relief to thousands of teachers and security officers who have waited for months to receive their allowances after conducting the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.

The funds will also facilitate payments to centre managers and personnel involved in examination marking, whose dues have remained outstanding since the completion of last year's national examinations.

The delayed payments had attracted concern from teachers' unions and education stakeholders, who repeatedly urged the government to expedite the release of funds to compensate examination officials for services rendered.

The latest disbursement follows Parliament's approval of additional funding for the examinations council during the budget review process.

In June, lawmakers approved Sh1.5 billion in the Second Supplementary Budget to facilitate payments to examination personnel, including examiners involved in marking national examinations.

KNEC has been under pressure to clear the pending obligations before preparations for this year's national examinations gather momentum.

Teachers’ unions had threatened to boycott administering this year's national examinations unless the professionals who offered their service were paid their outstanding allowances.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut} and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have directed their members not to administer this year's national examination until they are paid outstanding dues.

The unions say that thousands of the teachers are yet to receive their payments months after the government announced the release of funds.

Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori said that the delays have left thousands of teachers frustrated, as many spend weeks away from their families under difficult conditions while supervising the examinations only to wait for months before receiving their allowances.

''It is unacceptable for teachers to work under such demanding conditions and then wait almost a year to be paid. Many supervisors, invigilators and centre managers have not received a single shilling despite the government's announcement that funds had been released,'' he noted.

Knut National Chairman Patrick Karinga demanded the release of the allowances for supervision and invigilation for the 2025 examinations.

''We want money for supervision and invigilation for the 2025 examinations. If that doesn't happen, don't expect any teacher to participate in any invigilation or supervision in 2026,'' he said.