Calls Mount for KNEC to Re-evaluate 2025 KCSE Results Amid Parental Outrage
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) faces mounting pressure to review or recall 2025 KCSE results for select students following cancellations due to malpractice and disputes over grading accuracy.
Parents at top schools like Nyambaria High and activists such as Senator Okiya Omtatah have voiced strong objections, demanding transparency and verification.
KNEC Cancels Over 1,000 Results
KNEC cancelled results for 1,180 candidates implicated in exam irregularities during the 2025 KCSE, a 40% rise from 840 in 2024.
Education CS Julius Ogamba announced this during the results release on January 9, 2026, in Eldoret, emphasizing the government’s commitment to exam integrity.
Cases involved collusion, mobile phones, and other violations detected through probes.
Parents and students at Nyambaria High School, a national powerhouse that topped 2021 KCSE, rejected results for over 1,000 candidates, claiming discrepancies with internal mocks.
They demand KNEC provide answer scripts for public verification, arguing grades do not reflect true performance and could derail futures. This standoff highlights broader concerns over marking errors in high-stakes exams.
Senator Omtatah has called for a full recall of 2025 KCSE results, criticizing KNEC for excluding Kenya Sign Language (KSL) marks in grading for hearing-impaired students.
“KSL was inconsistently excluded from final grade computation for some candidates after the exam, without notice, consultation, or legal basis. This violates fairness, legitimate expectation, and inclusive education principles,” Okiya Omtatah noted.
He labels this discriminatory, urging policy reversal to ensure fairness. Such advocacy amplifies calls for systemic reviews.
“However, it has come to my attention that its treatment in the computation of the final grade differed significantly between two candidate groups,” the petition noted further.
For hearing candidates who registered and sat the examination as a technical subject, KSL scores were reportedly excluded from final grade computation.
Additionally, the petition highlighted that this post-examination change violated the legitimate expectations of students.
Candidates had selected KSL in good faith, registered for the subject, and completed their studies, assuming the grading would follow existing KNEC guidelines.
He warned that if KNEC fails to respond substantively within seven days, legal action will be pursued, including a petition to the High Court to protect the rights of affected students.
“Please be advised that the failure to receive a substantive and satisfactory response from your office within the next seven (7) days will leave me with no alternative but to seek appropriate legal recourse, including petitioning the High Court for necessary orders, to protect the rights and interests of the affected students,” the petition demanded,
Technical Glitches Fuel Frustrations
The KNEC portal crashed under traffic post-release, with users facing errors despite early activation.
This compounded anxieties as nearly 1 million candidates accessed results under the outgoing 8-4-4 system. Officials urged patience via SMS alternatives.
These controversies come as Kenya transitions from 8-4-4 to Competency-Based Curriculum, with 2025 marking a pivotal cohort. Affected students risk re-sitting, while complaints must be filed via schools within 30 days. The uproar underscores needs for robust verification and anti-cheating measures in future exams.