Thousands of Kenyan families are anxiously waiting for the release of the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results. It’s an especially tense time for students and parents, as Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba faces mounting calls to release the results sooner rather than later.
CS Ogamba recently assured the public that results would be out within two weeks, but the delay, despite marking ending in December, has left many frustrated. For the 965,501 candidates who sat the exams, the suspense is anything but easy to bear.
This year, there’s been a significant shift in how candidates will access their KCSE results. Gone is the trusted SMS platform that many families had grown used to. Instead, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will only use an online system.
If you’re checking results, here’s what you need to do:
- Head to the KNEC website.
- Find the 2024 KCSE section.
- Input your index number and registered name.
This year wasn’t just about waiting—it was also one for the history books. The 2024 KCSE had a record-breaking 965,501 students sitting for the exams, up from 903,138 in 2023.
The exams, which wrapped up on November 22, were spread across 10,755 centers nationwide. By December 13, markers at 35 centers, including well-known schools like Alliance High and State House Girls, had completed the job.
With last year’s remarkable results—over 200,000 students earned the coveted university entry grade of C+ or higher—expectations for this year’s performance are understandably high. That said, the pressure is palpable, especially after notable strides toward gender parity:
- 96,235 female candidates met the university cutoff in 2023.
- 104,898 male candidates achieved the same milestone in 2023.
If you’ve been wondering why this year’s results feel delayed, you’re not alone. During a speech at the Omogusii Cultural Festival in Nyamira last week, CS Ogamba addressed this directly. He reminded everyone that KCSE results have traditionally been announced in January, and this year is no different.
But here’s where some of the confusion may have stemmed from: in past years, Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results were released in December. With the new curriculum in place and no KCPE to announce, many assumed KCSE results might come earlier.
“That’s not the case,” Ogamba clarified, urging patience as they work to stick to the January timeline.
Unfortunately, this year’s KCSE season has been clouded by widespread reports of exam cheating. Cases of malpractice have cropped up in various schools, with teachers, candidates, and school administrators under scrutiny.
For some context, here are just a few incidents that caught national attention:
- Siaya County: Thirteen teachers were arrested for alleged involvement in cheating.
- Nandi County: Four teachers, including a center manager at Kamimei Secondary, were detained after an exam paper leaked on social media.
- Homa Bay County: Ten teachers from Pala Masogo Secondary School were released on Sh2 million bonds each.
- Kiambu County: Two candidates were caught with mobile phones in the exam hall—a clear violation.
These scandals don’t just tarnish the image of the affected schools—they also leave students from those institutions deeply nervous. Many fear their scripts may face harsher scrutiny as part of stricter regulations meant to curb future malpractice.
Right now, all eyes are on the Ministry.
