Tough rules as KCSE exams enter week 3

The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations have entered their third week, a pivotal time with large numbers of candidates sitting the papers. The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), which oversees national examinations, has issued new guidelines to ensure the integrity of the ongoing assessments. KNEC's CEO, David Njengere, announced to field officers that the 2026 KCSE exam is now in its third week, focusing on papers with substantial candidate participation.

Several stringent measures have been mandated, including the opening of examination containers only at 7:00 a.m., a strict ban on mobile phones, and the requirement for all authorized personnel to be listed on approved weekly rosters, presenting valid National Identity Cards for identification. Notably, candidates are barred from wearing wristwatches; instead, wall clocks must be provided in each examination room. KNEC communicated these directives via a post on their X account, extending best wishes to all candidates.

The examination schedule mandates morning sessions from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., with English (Functional Skills) being the subject of the first hour. Those with Braille and hearing-impaired formats are granted extra time until 10:30 a.m., followed by a break from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The afternoon session commences at 2:00 p.m., where Chemistry is scheduled to be the two-hour examination.

On Monday, November 2, 2026, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba participated in the opening of exam containers and the distribution of KCSE papers at Borabu Sub-County offices in Nyamira County. A total of 1,048,355 candidates were set to take the KCSE examination.