KNEC’s Mid-Year KCSE Exams Faces First Hurdle After Court Ruling
The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC)’s proposal to administer a mid-year series of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams was hampered when the High Court suspended the decision.
KNEC offered a retake in July, giving applicants who wanted to improve their results from last year’s exams another chance. However, the court has temporarily paused the proceedings.
Lady Justice Odera Teresa Achieng of the Kisii High Court ruled that the case filed by Nakuru-based doctor Magare Gikenyi met the requirements for conservatory orders.
“The application has met the threshold for granting conservatory orders at this stage. I proceed to issue conservatory orders…to preserve the subject matter pending inter partes hearing,” Justice Odera ruled on Wednesday, January 29.
KNEC is facing a lawsuit over the upcoming KCSE exams scheduled for July pic.twitter.com/2E7gN8imfC
— The Kenya Times (@thekenyatimes) January 29, 2025
The conservatory orders came after Gikenyi sued KNEC, alleging that repeat exams in the middle of the year would compromise the credibility of national exams.
In his appeal, the doctor also stated that mid-year retakes violated candidates’ rights to regard their best interests, life and development, and the right to be heard and participate.
“If this honourable court does not stop the illegal actions and omissions committed by the respondents, then the outlined constitutional violations will continue, undermining the rule of law and principles of good governance,” he proclaimed in his petition.
Lady Justice Odera, after classifying the case as urgent, ordered that the affidavit be served on February 12.
KNEC mentioned as one of the respondents in the affidavit, was scheduled to be served on January 30.
The conservatory orders will be a major blow to the examination council, which had already begun the process of registering for the repeat tests.
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KNEC intended to divide the applicants into two categories: full repeaters, who would sit for seven or more topics, and partial repeaters, who would sit for fewer than seven subjects.
CS Julius Migos: KNEC will introduce a mid-year series of KCSE to be administered in July every year. The exam will target candidates wishing to repeat or those who may missed siting in the examinations due to sickness or unexpected hardships pic.twitter.com/Ghgc9hmzPi
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) January 9, 2025
Furthermore, at least 840 students whose results were deemed invalid after investigations proved their involvement in examination malpractice were offered the opportunity to retake the exams during the mid-year series.
A total of 712,537 students who did not receive the necessary grade of C+ plus in the 2024 KCSE were also eligible for registration retakes.
KNEC’s Mid-Year KCSE Exams Faces First Hurdle After Court Ruling
