KNEC Faces Hurdles Over Exam Invigilation and Supervision

KNEC Faces Hurdles Over Exam Invigilation and Supervision

KNEC Faces Hurdles Over Exam Invigilation and Supervision. Educational stakeholders are foreseeing a major crisis in the administration of national examinations overseen by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) due to recent budget cuts.

With exams approaching in just three months, these financial reductions could create significant difficulties and anxiety for the hundreds of thousands of candidates scheduled to take their exams in October and November.

The National Treasury has directed Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), the Judiciary, Parliament, Constitutional Commissions, and Independent Offices to reassess their revenue and expenditure estimates for the Financial Year 2024/25. In a circular issued on July 5, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u identified at least 24 areas facing budget reductions, including a complete elimination of funds for examination and invigilation fees.

Prof. Ndung’u clarified that the budget for the Financial Year 2024/25 was intended to be supported by additional revenue measures amounting to Sh344.3 billion, as outlined in the Finance Bill 2024. However, President William Ruto rejected the bill last month, resulting in a financing gap of the same amount. Consequently, the budget estimates for FY 2024/25 had to be revised, and these revisions will be formalized in the FY 2024/25 Supplementary Estimates No. 1.

**Impact on KNEC**

Originally, KNEC was allocated Sh5 billion for exam waiver fees in the rejected Finance Bill. The latest budget cuts have surprised many educational stakeholders, as KNEC has been operating with significant budget deficits despite presenting its annual activity program to the National Assembly. Stakeholders had anticipated that the council would begin receiving funds at the start of this month.

An anonymous expert noted that public records indicate KNEC has been receiving a fixed amount of Sh5 billion for exams each financial year, despite a steady increase in the number of candidates and other essential requirements. The expert questioned why the government does not adopt the per capita funding principle for exam funding, similar to its approach in the education sector.

Since 2016, the government has been covering examination fees for all candidates in public and private schools to ensure no student misses national exams. For instance, at the beginning of this year’s KCSE registration, KNEC announced that the government would pay exam fees for all students, excluding those re-sitting, non-Kenyans, and private candidates registering in sub-county private examination centers.

Examination Fees Breakdown

Regular and Private Candidates:
– Seven subjects: Sh5,000
– Eight subjects: Sh5,400
– Nine subjects: Sh5,800
– KPSEA: Sh1,800

Repeating Exam:
– One subject: Sh3,100
– Nine subjects: Sh6,300

KCSE Qualifying Test Registration:
– Sh3,000 per candidate

Additional Concerns

Another anonymous expert expressed concerns over the budget cuts, arguing that the government is instigating a crisis and causing unnecessary anxiety. The expert suggested that such announcements should have been made at the beginning of the year.

Separately, Hesbon Otieno, Deputy Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), highlighted that the cuts will severely impact many parents and learners, potentially leading to some students missing their national exams. Otieno stressed that transferring the burden of exam fees back to parents will have dire consequences, as many parents may be unable to afford these costs.

KNEC Faces Hurdles Over Exam Invigilation and Supervision