With more than one million candidates expected to sit this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, school heads are pressing the government and teachers’ representatives to settle a pay dispute that threatens to disrupt the national exercise.
The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) has called for immediate consultations involving the government, the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), warning that a boycott by teachers involved in examination duties could put the process at risk.
Kuppet last week urged its members to stay away from the examinations in protest over allowances and the conditions governing their work as examiners, supervisors, invigilators and centre managers.
The union wants the terms for teachers taking up these extra duties clarified and their remuneration improved, setting the stage for a possible standoff as preparations for the national tests continue.
Kessha chairman Willy Kuria said teachers had legitimate concerns that needed to be addressed but cautioned against industrial action that could interfere with candidates’ examinations.
"We need a tripartite meeting to thrash out these issues. Instead of a boycott, we can agree on how to manage the examinations," Kuria told Nation.
He said teachers wanted the examinations to be administered honestly and their contribution as examiners to be recognised.
Principals are central to the process because they serve as examination centre managers, overseeing the collection and return of examination papers from storage containers.
However, Kuria said school heads were also struggling to meet the costs of running examination centres, pointing to a shortage of funds in schools.
He welcomed President William Ruto’s assurances during the World Teachers Day celebrations on October 5 that the examinations would be conducted in a conducive environment.
The call for negotiations comes as education officials prepare for an examination exercise involving a larger number of candidates than last year, increasing the importance of resolving the dispute before the main tests begin.
Knec Says Allowances Review Is Due Next Year
Knec chief executive officer David Njengere said funding for the examination exercise had been provided for in the council’s budget through the National Treasury, but stressed that consultations were still needed to address the concerns raised by teachers.
"The rates for centre managers, supervisors, invigilators and examiners are reviewed every four years. They are due for review next year," Dr Njengere told Nation.
The examination timetable is already taking shape, with rehearsals scheduled for Friday, October 17, followed by examinations for subjects with low candidature from Monday, October 19.
The main KCSE examinations will take place from November 2 to November 20.
Registration figures show that 1,048,355 candidates are expected to sit the examinations this year, compared with 996,078 in 2025.
The increase means examination officials will have to coordinate a substantial workforce to ensure the tests are administered and marked properly.
The planned exercise will involve 10,765 centre managers, 12,274 supervisors, 57,432 invigilators, 21,388 security officers and another 2,694 personnel.
These teams are expected to support the administration of the examinations across the country, making an agreement between the government and teachers’ representatives a key concern as the examination period approaches.
Career Progression Dispute Also in Focus
Kuria also welcomed the government’s proposed review of the Career Progression Guidelines for teachers, which would introduce two career paths and address concerns over teachers remaining in the same job grades for long periods.
The career progression question has contributed to disagreements between Kuppet and the Teachers Service Commission, adding to the wider concerns over teachers’ working conditions.
The Kessha chairman further backed plans to raise the number of promotion opportunities from 34,016 to 50,000 this year and recruit more teachers.
He said the measures could help ease workloads in schools and improve the quality of classroom instruction.
The proposals come as school heads continue to raise concerns about the demands placed on teachers and the resources available to schools.
Kessha has urged all parties to work together to protect the integrity of the KCSE examinations, calling for cooperation, fairness and accountability in resolving the outstanding issues.
The association wants the government, Knec and Kuppet to reach a workable agreement that addresses teachers’ concerns while ensuring the examination process proceeds without disruption for the candidates.