The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has issued an update warning that the registration deadline for the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) is set for tomorrow.
The registration process that started on February 17 is set to close on March 28, with no other opportunity for registration for the two crucial exams.
In its notice announcing the opening of the registration, KNEC warned that once the portal is closed, there will be no reopening for either KJSEA or KCSE students.
“Finally, please note that the KJSEA Registration portal shall be closed on March 28, 2025, and there will be no provision for late registration of candidates once the portal is closed,” warned David Njengere, KNEC CEO.
KJSEA is the national examination introduced as part of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to assess learners at the end of Grade 9, marking their transition from junior school to senior school.
Njengere similarly warned parents and candidates seeking to sit for the KCSE exams, stating, “There will be no late registration of candidates once the portal is closed.”
Once the registration portal closes, KNEC begins the process of verifying candidate details to ensure accuracy in names, subjects, and school information.
Schools are required to cross-check the registration data and report any discrepancies before the final lists are finalised. This step is crucial in preventing errors that could affect a candidate’s eligibility to sit for the examinations. Failure to verify details may result in mismatches during the exam period, which could lead to complications in results processing.
Following verification, KNEC proceeds with the allocation of index numbers, a unique identifier assigned to each candidate.
The council also uses the final registration data to determine the number of examination materials needed, allocate exam centres, and assign supervisors and invigilators.
KCSE examinations are scheduled to begin on October 21, 2025, and conclude on November 21, 2025.
The initial days will feature examinations in languages such as French, Sign Language, and German, followed by practical assessments in subjects like Home Science, Art and Design, Woodwork, and Metalwork from October 22 to October 31.
Written examinations will commence on November 3, starting with English and Chemistry, and will continue through various subjects until the final exam on November 21, which will be Physics Paper 3 (practical).
Regarding the KJSEA, the examinations are set to start on October 27 and conclude on November 5.
Each day is allocated to specific papers, covering subjects such as English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, Integrated Science, and Religious Education. Additionally, there are mid-year assessments for project-based subjects: Creative Arts & Sports from May to July and Pre-Technical Studies in July 2025.
