KCSE, KCPE KNEC Registration Guidelines 2023; All You Should Know

KCSE, KCPE KNEC Registration Guidelines 2023; All You Should Know

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) announces the registration process for the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, and KCSE Qualifying Test. The registration period begun on February 1, 2023 and ends on March 30, 2023.

Heads of institutions are advised to note and comply with the following KCSE, KCPE KNEC Registration guidelines:

• Schools with less than five candidates are not eligible to register as independent examination centres. In this case, they should liaise with the respective Sub-County Directors of Education (SCDEs) to find a KNEC approved examination centre with more than five candidates for their learners to be registered.
• Examination centres with less than thirty candidates will be hosted in centres identified by the Sub-County Directors, following the guidelines provided by KNEC.
• SCDEs and Heads of Institutions are required to log into the KNEC registration portal to capture the registration details of the examination centres and candidates using their examination centre log-in credentials.
• For KCSE examination, Principals are required to upload candidates’ passport size photographs (300 x 300 pixels).
• All registered candidates must be bonafide, school-going pupils/students who are transiting to their respective examination class. The registration of ghost candidates is an examination malpractice and attracts sanctions, including de-registration of the school as a KNEC examination centre.
• Heads of institutions and SCDEs are expected to ensure the accuracy of the registration data, including the correct spellings and order of candidates’ names as documented in their Birth Certificates, gender, year of birth, citizenship, subjects registered for, and information on different categories of candidates with special needs and disabilities (i.e. Visual Impairments, hearing impairment, and physical impairment).
• All schools and private candidates must adhere to the entry requirements and pay the examination fees (where applicable) as stipulated in the Regulations and User Guidelines for the Management of KCPE and KCSE examinations printed and circulated in 2017.

KNEC emphasizes the importance of accurate and timely registration of candidates to ensure smooth and fair administration of the 2023 KCPE, KCSE examinations, and KCSE Qualifying Test.

Schools and private candidates are advised to comply with the regulations and guidelines provided by KNEC.

Registration of Private Candidates

The registration process for private candidates and those wishing to sit for the KCSE Qualifying Test is overseen by two separate offices.

For private candidates, Sub-County Directors of Education (SCDEs) are responsible for their registration and must ensure that all necessary steps are taken.

Private candidates must address all registration-related issues through the SCDEs’ office and be expected to download, fill out, and submit the private candidate’s registration form along with other required documents.

It should be noted that only one private examination center per Sub-County will be allowed by KNEC and that SCDEs must identify one public school to host private candidates during the examination.

When registering private candidates, including those in prison, SCDEs must ensure that passport size photographs are uploaded at 300 x 300 pixels.

On the other hand, the registration of candidates wishing to sit for the KCSE Qualifying Test is the responsibility of the County Director of Education (CDE) office.

All candidates must register at their respective CDEs’ offices and sit for the test in a venue identified by their CDE.

Heads of institutions are also expected to ensure that all candidates in their institution who hold foreign certifications or local primary school equivalent certifications obtain Equation services from KNEC and register for the Qualifying Test a year prior to registering for the KCSE examination.

The required documents for the registration of the KCSE Qualifying Test include a copy of the original CPE certificate for Kenyan candidates who did not sit for KCPE examination, a copy of the Equation Letter from KNEC for candidates holding non-Kenyan primary education certifications (available online through the KNEC website), and a passport size photograph in a CD (300 x 300 pixels).

Examination Fee

The Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Education (MOE), is responsible for paying the examination fees for all students in public and private schools. However, there are certain categories of students who are not eligible for this support.

These categories include: students who are repeating the exams, non-citizens (non-Kenyans), private students registering at Sub County Private Examination Centers, and students in prisons.

The examination fees for KCPE and KCSE exams for regular and private students are shown in Table 1. The total fees for KCPE exams, which include 5 subjects, are 800 Kenyan shillings (Kes).

For KCSE exams, which have 7, 8, or 9 subjects, the total fees are 5,000, 5,400, or 5,800 Kes, respectively.

For students who are re-sitting the KCSE exams, the examination fees are listed in Table 2. The total fees range from 3,100 to 6,300 Kes depending on the number of subjects the student is taking. In addition, there is a KCSE Qualifying Test registration fee of 3,000 Kes per student.

All private students will be expected to pay their examination fees directly into the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) fees collection account. This can be done through National Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank, Co-operative Bank, or Equity Bank.

Students should then submit their deposit slips to the Sub County Directors of Education (SCDEs), who will forward them to KNEC along with other registration documents.

It is important for all Heads of institutions and SCDEs to be familiar with the Regulations and User Guidelines for the Management of KCPE and KCSE exams and to abide by them.

This includes the payment of examination fees and the proper submission of required documents.

Coding of New Sub-Counties and Registration of New KNEC Examination Centres

The role of overseeing the coding of new sub-counties and the registration of new KNEC examination centers falls under the jurisdiction of the County Director of Education (CDE).

The CDE is requested to ensure that the following guidelines are adhered to during the process.

For newly created sub-counties seeking re-coding of their sub-counties and examination centers, they are expected to submit the following documents to KNEC: a copy of the Kenya Gazette notice legalizing the creation of the sub-county, a list of schools within the sub-county indicating their previous codes and proposed new codes, and the location of their examination distribution center and details of the Deputy County Commissioner or Assistant Deputy County Commissioner office.

Institutions that have submitted applications to be registered as KNEC examination centers for the 2023 KCPE and KCSE examinations will be notified in writing regarding the acceptance or non-acceptance of their request after validation is complete.

This includes inspection by KNEC and requires the following documents to be submitted: a certified copy of a valid registration certificate from the County Director of Education, an inspection questionnaire from the Sub County Director of Education, an application form, a valid registration certificate, and a bank deposit slip as evidence of payment for the examination center registration fees.

KNEC will conclude the inspection process for new examination centers by February 3rd, 2023. Centers that miss this deadline will be expected to find an approved examination center to host their candidates through the assistance of their respective Sub County Directors of Education.

New examination centers will not have access to the KNEC registration portal until their application is approved by KNEC.

In regards to the use of passwords, all Sub County Directors of Education and heads of institutions are responsible for the use and security of passwords issued by KNEC for access to the KNEC portals.

The passwords are confidential and are intended for use by the designated user, with heads of institutions being responsible for the security and access of the passwords for their institutions.

In case of loss or forgotten password, heads of institutions should send an email to KNEC for assistance.

Once approved and uploaded on the website, new examination centers will access the registration platform using their center code as the username and password, with heads of institutions advised to change the password to maintain confidentiality.

Registration deadlines

It is imperative that all relevant parties are made aware of the upcoming registration deadlines for the 2023 KNEC examinations. The registration portal will close on March 30th, 2023, and no late registrations will be accepted after this date.

This means that all parents, candidates, and relevant process owners must make sure that they are fully informed and adhere to the set deadlines for the 2023 exams.

To ensure that the registration process runs smoothly, heads of institutions must present all registration documents for their respective centres to the SCDEs’ offices on April 3rd, 2023. The documents will then be verified by the SCDEs and KNEC officers before they are officially submitted.

It is crucial that everyone involved in the registration process adheres to the regulations and guidelines set by KNEC. This will ensure that the administration of the 2023 KCPE and KCSE examinations is carried out effectively and efficiently.