Teachers and other contracted professionals who invigilated the 2025 national exams are still waiting for payment due to ongoing KNEC payment delays. The Council faces a cash shortfall while the National Treasury’s proposed Supplementary Estimates for 2025/2026 await parliamentary approval. Payments are therefore likely to wait until the mini-budget is approved.
Key Takeaways
- KNEC payment delays mean many invigilators and supervisors remain unpaid for 2025 exam duties.
- The National Treasury proposed a KSh 316.9 billion increase in spending; the mini-budget must be approved before disbursements.
- KNEC reports technical insolvency with liabilities exceeding assets, and requires roughly KSh 1 billion to clear contracted professional dues.
- Common causes for missed payments include CP2 data mismatches, missing documentation, and unregistered deployments; KNEC has given clear remedies.
Why KNEC payment delays are happening
KNEC is facing a liquidity crisis that has delayed payment of honoraria and reimbursements to teachers, drivers and security personnel who worked during national exams. The Auditor General reported that KNEC’s liabilities exceed its assets by about KSh 2 billion, and the Council needs roughly KSh 1 billion to pay contracted professionals.
The government has proposed Supplementary Estimates for the 2025/2026 year to cover funding gaps. These estimates must be approved by Parliament before the National Treasury can release additional funds. Officials expect the mini-budget approval in March, with payments possibly reaching beneficiaries in late March or early April.
Who is affected
About 77,600 professionals were engaged in October 2025 for national assessments and exams. This includes:
- ~30,000 for KCSE
- ~15,000 for KJSEA
- The remainder for KPSEA and other assessments
Those affected include invigilators, supervisors, centre managers and marking centre staff who performed long hours under pressure.
Common reasons some individuals miss payment
KNEC has listed typical problems that block payment and the steps to fix them. Understanding these can speed up processing when funds are available.
- Name mismatch — The name on the CP2 account does not match the M-Pesa name. Fix: Create or update your CP2 account with an M-Pesa number registered to your exact ID name.
- Missing ID or TSC/PF number — Some CP2 records lack identifying numbers. Fix: Login to CP2 and update your personal details.
- Missing or unsigned documents — Attendance registers not submitted, or missing official stamps/signatures. Fix: Centre managers should download registers from CP2, verify, sign, stamp and forward to the Sub-County Director of Education (SCDE) for onward submission to KNEC.
- Not deployed in CP2 — Worked but not listed in the CP2 deployment. Fix: Raise a formal query with your SCDE including year, exam, centre code, role and MPesa number.
- Late or incomplete data sent to KNEC — Slow responses or incomplete contracted professionals’ data. Fix: Clean and resend accurate records via the SCDE promptly.
What KNEC and the Ministry say
The Ministry of Education and KNEC have acknowledged delays and say they are working with the National Treasury to resolve the cash flow issues. Officials assure affected professionals that payments are a priority, but disbursement depends on budget approvals and verification of accurate data.
Daily rates and typical payouts
To help claimants confirm expected amounts, here are standard per-day rates used for calculations:
- KPSEA invigilators: KSh 550 per day for 3 days = KSh 1,680
- KJSEA invigilators: KSh 550 per day for 6 days = KSh 3,300
- KPSEA & KJSEA supervisors: KSh 680 per day for 6 days = KSh 4,080
- KCSE supervisors: KSh 680 per day for 16 days = KSh 10,880
- KCSE invigilators: KSh 550 per day for 16 days = KSh 8,800
- Centre managers: KSh 550 per day for assessments
What invigilators should do now
If you are still unpaid, follow these steps to reduce the chance of further delays:
- Confirm your CP2 record matches your official ID and your M-Pesa registration.
- Ask your centre manager to verify, sign and stamp attendance registers and send them to the SCDE.
- If you worked but are not listed, submit a formal query through the SCDE with full details (year, exam, centre code, role and M-Pesa number that matches your ID).
- Keep copies of all submitted documents and acknowledgement receipts for follow-up.
KNEC payment delays: resources for teachers and students
While payments are processed, teachers and students can still access exam resources and revision materials. For KCSE candidates, use the KCSE revision exams to stay on track: KCSE revision exams and topical papers. Primary school resources and past papers are available here: free KCPE exams and practice papers. Teachers working with CBC classes may find the CBC exams section useful: free CBC exams and practice materials.
Keeping records up to date in CP2 and maintaining good communication with your SCDE are the fastest ways to ensure payment once funds become available. Monitor official announcements for the mini-budget approval and follow up promptly with your county education office if issues persist.
