The 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations are facing fresh uncertainty after teachers' unions threatened to boycott the national exercise over billions of shillings in unpaid allowances.
The standoff has exposed growing frustration among teachers who supervised the 2025 examinations but are yet to receive their full payments despite the government releasing part of the funds.
With only a few months remaining before this year's examinations, education stakeholders now fear the dispute could disrupt one of Kenya's most important national assessments unless the Treasury and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) urgently resolve the funding crisis.
Teachers threaten KCSE boycott as unpaid exam allowances spark crisis
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has issued a strong warning to the government, declaring that thousands of teachers may refuse to administer the 2026 KCSE examinations unless outstanding payments are settled.
The union says many teachers who supervised, invigilated and managed the 2025 KCSE examinations have not received their allowances months after completing the national assignment.
The dispute comes at a critical time as KNEC prepares for another nationwide examination involving thousands of schools and education officials.
According to KUPPET, the Ministry of Education has already released Ksh1.5 billion to facilitate payments, but that amount remains insufficient to clear all pending claims.
Sources familiar with the matter indicate that KNEC still requires an additional Ksh4 billion to fully settle the outstanding arrears.
The union argues that continued payment delays have eroded teachers' confidence in the examination body and left many questioning whether they should volunteer for this year's exercise.
KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori said many teachers have already resolved not to participate in the examination process until the government honours its financial obligations.
"Our teachers have clearly expressed misgivings about taking part in this and, in fact, the majority of them are threatening that they will not take part in this exam administration," Misori said.
Teachers accuse KNEC of repeated payment delays
The union maintains that delayed examination payments have become a recurring challenge rather than an isolated incident.
According to KUPPET, teachers continue to shoulder enormous responsibilities during national examinations despite receiving allowances that do not reflect the workload involved.
Teachers oversee examination security, supervise candidates, prepare examination centres and ensure strict compliance with KNEC regulations throughout the examination period.
Despite these responsibilities, the allowances remain relatively modest.
Until 2024, invigilators earned Ksh400 per day, supervisors received Ksh450 while centre managers earned Ksh500 daily.
KNEC increased the allowances by Ksh50 across all categories in 2025, but teachers insist the adjustment failed to address the real value of their work.
Misori argued that many casual labourers in other sectors earn significantly more than teachers responsible for safeguarding the integrity of national examinations.
He cited the construction industry as an example, saying many workers earn at least Ksh1,000 per day.
The union believes better remuneration would encourage more teachers to participate willingly in future examination exercises.
Government faces pressure ahead of 2026 KCSE examinations
The latest standoff places additional pressure on the government as preparations for the 2026 KCSE examinations gather pace.
A nationwide boycott by teachers could affect candidate supervision, examination security and the timely administration of papers across the country.
KNEC heavily relies on thousands of teachers every year to conduct examinations in public and private schools.
Any shortage of trained personnel would create significant logistical challenges for the examination body.
Education stakeholders now expect the Treasury to release additional funding quickly to prevent disruptions.
The unions insist they remain open to dialogue but argue that teachers cannot continue providing essential services without prompt payment.
They are also demanding a comprehensive review of examination allowances to reflect current economic realities and the responsibilities assigned during national examinations.
The coming weeks are expected to determine whether negotiations between the government, KNEC and teachers' unions can avert what could become one of the biggest threats to Kenya's national examination calendar in recent years.
