KNEC rolls out smart padlocks to secure national exams

CaptionKJSEA and KPSEA students at Ndima Kanini Academy being frisked by invigilators before sitting for their national exams. [Amos Kiarie, Standard] The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has introduced smart digital padlocks in examination storage containers to enhance the integrity and security of national exams. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba said the smart padlocks for the 250 examination storage containers nationwide will be linked to the KNEC Command Centre. This will allow for real-time tracking of when and where each container is opened and locked to reinforce the examinations' integrity. He spoke on Monday during the opening of examination containers on Day One of the 2025 National Examinations and Assessments season at the Bureti Deputy County Commissioner's (DCC) office. "These smart locks will allow instant verification from the command centre, making it impossible for any unauthorised person to access examination materials. This is a milestone in ensuring transparency and accountability in our national examinations," said Ogamba. The CS also announced a strict policy banning the use of mobile phones at all KCSE examination centres. He directed that all centre managers, supervisors, invigilators, security officers, and support staff must surrender their phones immediately after collecting examination materials each morning. "Phones will be secured in designated lockers until the end of the day's sessions to prevent unauthorised communication," Ogamba stated. He further affirmed that the National Police Service will continue to oversee security during the KCSE, while other assessments-including KPSEA, KJSEA, KILEA, and KPLEA-will be administered under school-based arrangements managed by education officials and school heads. "The Ministry of Education, the Teachers Service Commission, and the Ministry of Interior and National Administration have put in place comprehensive measures to ensure that all examinations and assessments are conducted securely, fairly, and smoothly," said Ogamba. Flanked by Kericho County Director of Education Julius Ngoneshi, the CS encouraged all candidates to remain calm, focused, and honest throughout the examination period, emphasising that integrity and hard work remain the true pathways to success. This year marks a historic milestone, with a record 3,428,729 candidates sitting for various national assessments and examinations - the highest number in Kenya's history. Ogamba said this growth reflects the government's ongoing success in expanding access, inclusivity, and retention under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework. For smooth coordination, the CS announced that KPSEA and KJSEA materials will be collected once daily at 6:00 a.m., while KCSE materials will be collected twice daily - at 7:00 a.m. for morning papers and 12:30 p.m. for afternoon papers. The Ministry and KNEC have also rolled out several innovations and enhanced security measures to strengthen examination integrity and efficiency. According to Ogamba, the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) differs from the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) in both structure and format. KPSEA consists entirely of multiple-choice questions, while KJSEA combines multiple-choice and structured (essay-type) questions. Candidates will shade some answers and address others on their question papers. Each structured paper is personalised, bearing the candidate's name, centre, and a unique random number. After completion, the identification section will be detached and packed separately to ensure examiners do not see candidate names-a key measure to eliminate bias and promote fairness. Ogamba further noted that all examination and assessment materials have enhanced security features and colour codes to differentiate sessions and prevent mix-ups or premature exposure. "These innovations reaffirm our commitment to integrity, fairness, and efficiency in the administration of national examinations," said Ogamba.

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