The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has begun the 2026 national exam processes and asked teachers and candidates to collect issued teacher education assessment certificates. This update also outlines the KNEC registration timelines for KPSEA, KJSEA and KCSE and provides clear instructions on eligibility, required data and how parents or schools can confirm registrations.
Key Takeaways
- KNEC has dispatched various teacher education assessment certificates to colleges and sub-county offices for collection.
- KNEC registration for 2026 opens for KPSEA, KJSEA and KCSE between mid-February and the end of March 2026.
- Schools must ensure accurate candidate data and avoid registering ghost candidates, which carries sanctions.
- Parents and schools can confirm registration by SMS to 20076 using the candidate index or assessment number with the exam type prefix.
KNEC registration 2026: timelines and scope
KNEC has launched the 2026 candidate registration exercise with the following windows:
- KPSEA (Grade 6): 16 February to 16 March 2026
- KJSEA (Grade 9): 2 March to 31 March 2026
- KCSE (Form 4): 16 February to 31 March 2026
Schools will register learners through the KNEC Computer-Based Assessment (CBA) portal and must prepare the required documentation and data before the portal closes.
Collection of teacher education assessment and exam certificates
KNEC has released and dispatched a number of teacher education certificates. Principals and training institutions should note:
- Certificates dispatched include: 2022 DECTE, 2022 DPTE, 2023 UDPTE, 2023 UDECTE, and the 2025 ECDE, DTE, PTE and SNE certificates.
- DSTE (Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education) 2022 cohort certificates were not included in the current dispatch; KNEC will notify when ready.
- TCAE 2025 certificates have been collected by the Directorate of Adult Education for onward dispatch to TCAE centre principals.
- College principals must liaise with Sub County Education Officers for timely collection and distribution to eligible trainees.
Registration requirements and warnings for schools
Only eligible learners should be presented for national assessments. KNEC has highlighted common requirements and data points that must be accurate during registration:
- Full names spelled and ordered exactly as on the learner’s birth certificate.
- Gender and year of birth.
- Citizenship.
- Chosen Religious Education option (for example CRE, IRE, HRE).
- For KJSEA candidates: the learner must exist in the Grade 9 database and have a KPSEA Performance Report plus School Based Assessment (SBA) scores for Grades 7 and 8 in all Learning Areas.
KNEC warns that registration of ghost candidates is an assessment malpractice. Schools found doing this risk sanctions, including de-registration as a KNEC assessment centre. Any transfer requests for Grade 6 and Grade 9 learners must be completed online before the registration portal closes to avoid double registration.
How parents and candidates confirm registration
After schools complete registration, parents and candidates can confirm status via SMS. Send the exam or assessment type prefix followed by the index or assessment number to 20076. Examples:
- KCSE123506013 — checks KCSE registration for index number 123506013
- For KPSEA or KJSEA use the assessment number with the appropriate prefix.
After sending the SMS, the system will reply with a confirmation message indicating whether the candidate is registered.
KCSE 2025 results slips and next steps
KNEC has released the 2025 KCSE results slips. Candidates have been instructed to collect their slips from their schools. Schools should ensure that slips are issued only to the correct candidates and keep records of distribution.
Practical resources for schools and candidates
Teachers and learners preparing for national assessments may find these resources useful for practice and planning:
- KCSE and high-school exam practice materials to help Form 4 learners prepare for KCSE.
- KCPE exam revision and past papers useful for primary-level practice and KPSEA familiarisation.
- CBC curriculum designs and resources for schools preparing Grade 6 learners for KPSEA and for compiling SBAs.
Action checklist for school administrators
- Collect dispatched teacher education certificates from Sub County offices promptly.
- Register eligible learners within the stated KNEC registration windows using the CBA portal.
- Verify and correct learner data (names, birth year, gender, citizenship, RE option).
- Submit any transfer requests online before the portal closes.
- Inform parents how to confirm registration via SMS to 20076.
Following these steps will help schools, principals and parents meet KNEC requirements, avoid registration errors, and ensure learners are correctly entered for KPSEA, KJSEA and KCSE assessments.
