For years, confirming the authenticity of KCSE certificates has largely been a manual process for many institutions. That is now changing after the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) unveiled a digital verification platform that allows organisations to authenticate KCSE certificates issued between 1989 and 2024 through an online system.
The new e-Certificate verification service is expected to make the verification process quicker while improving confidence in Kenya's examination certificates.
It is also part of KNEC's efforts to modernise its services and address the growing concern over forged academic documents.
In announcing the launch on Friday, the examinations council called on institutions and organisations that routinely verify academic credentials to begin using the new platform.
"Are you an organisation or institution and need to verify a candidate's KCSE certificate? Now you can do so online for KCSE certificates from 1989 to 2024," the council said in a statement posted on its official social media platforms.
To use the service, organisations must first register as verifier organisations by submitting their registration details together with a certificate of incorporation through the online portal. As part of the application process, users will receive a one-time password (OTP) to confirm their email addresses before KNEC reviews and approves their requests.
Once registration has been approved, organisations will be able to access the verifier dashboard, where they can submit certificate verification requests. The process requires users to provide the candidate's index number, examination year, examination type and full name before uploading the candidate's e-certificate in PDF format.
Applicants will also be required to state the reason for the verification request, whether for employment, admission, immigration or any other official purpose. They must then accept a consent declaration before making payment through KNEC credits or the eCitizen platform, including M-Pesa.
After processing the request, the platform generates a consolidated report for all candidates submitted under the application. It also provides individual verification reports for each candidate, together with a final outcome indicating whether the certificate has been confirmed as genuine or referred to KNEC for additional verification.
KNEC said the service is intended to support employers, learning institutions, immigration offices and other organisations that regularly authenticate academic certificates during their recruitment and admission processes.
The council has encouraged users who need assistance with the new system to download the verifier organisation user guide available on the e-Certificate portal.
The online verification platform is the latest step in KNEC's drive to digitise its services, improve the delivery of public services and strengthen efforts to stop the use of fake KCSE certificates.