113 adults take KCSE in Kakamega amid 8-4-4 phase-out
Education
By
Mary Imenza
| Nov 05, 2025
At least 113 adult learners are sitting for this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations in Kakamega County as private candidates.
The County Director of Adult and Continuing Education (ACE), Stephene Apolo Sibena, said the candidates are part of a growing number of adults returning to school to complete their education before the 8-4-4 system is phased out in 2027.
He revealed that the government has introduced an Accelerated Education Programme (AEP) targeting those who did not complete their KCSE studies under the 8-4-4 system, to give them a final opportunity to earn certificates and continue to higher learning.
"We have rolled out an Accelerated Education Programme to mop up school dropouts who completed KCPE or dropped out before Form Four. The CBE programme will not accommodate this group due to the coming changes, so we want to give them a chance to complete KCSE,” Sibena said.
Speaking in Kakamega town, Sibena explained that several adult learners were once victims of poverty, early marriages, or other socio-economic challenges that forced them to abandon school.
He noted that the government is now keen on bringing them back into the education system before the full transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum.
“Learners who went through the 8-4-4 system may not easily transition to CBE. The government aims to give them a final chance to complete their education and obtain KCSE certificates before the new system takes effect,” he said.
According to the director, the ongoing registration exercise for next year’s candidates has already attracted interest from more adults who wish to resume studies.
He said the department is optimistic that the number of KCSE candidates from the adult education centres will increase significantly in 2026 and 2027.
“We are beginning registration early so that next year we can have a larger number of candidates than the 113 we currently have. Our goal is to enrol many more adult learners to sit for the KCSE by 2027,” he added.
Sibena noted that the interest among adult learners has been rising across all 12 sub-counties in Kakamega, especially among youth who missed their KCSE examinations due to lack of school fees, teenage pregnancies, or early entry into informal employment.
He also urged communities to support the government’s adult education initiatives by encouraging family members who dropped out of school to register for the programme, saying it will improve literacy levels and employment opportunities in the region.
“A good number of those coming back to class are determined to change their lives. Some want to qualify for better jobs, while others want to pursue college or university education. Education has no age limit,” he said.
Kakamega County currently has 112 Adult Education Centres spread across the 12 sub-counties, with more than 1,115 learners enrolled in various stages of basic education.
The centres, he said, provide flexible learning schedules to accommodate adult learners who may be working or running small businesses.
The Accelerated Education Programme, rolled out by the Ministry of Education, allows adult learners to complete the secondary school curriculum in a shorter period through tailored instruction and flexible classes.
The initiative is expected to help thousands of adults who dropped out before completing their studies to rejoin the system and sit for the KCSE by 2027.
Education stakeholders in Kakamega have lauded the initiative, saying it will empower many residents who were previously locked out of formal education to gain skills and credentials that can improve their livelihoods.