With only a few months left before the 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, teachers’ unions have warned that they may refuse to supervise the exams unless the government clears billions of shillings owed to teachers who worked during the 2025 examination period.
The warning has raised concerns about the country’s readiness to conduct the national examinations smoothly.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) said thousands of teachers who invigilated, supervised and managed last year’s KCSE examinations have not yet received their payments.
This is despite the Ministry of Education having already released Ksh1.5 billion toward settling the pending dues.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) still requires an additional Ksh4 billion to fully clear the outstanding payments owed to teachers who participated in the 2025 examinations.
KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori said teachers have become frustrated by the repeated delays in receiving their money. He noted that many have already indicated they are not willing to take part in this year’s examination exercise until the government settles the unpaid allowances.
Misori said the union supports the teachers’ position, arguing that they cannot continue offering their services while waiting for payments that take months to arrive. He added that delayed payments have become a regular problem despite the important role teachers play in ensuring national examinations are conducted fairly and securely.
The union also expressed concern over the amount paid to teachers for examination duties. Misori argued that the allowances do not reflect the heavy responsibilities teachers carry while managing national examinations.
Until 2024, invigilators earned Ksh400 per day, supervisors received Ksh450, while centre managers were paid Ksh500 daily. In 2025, KNEC increased each allowance by Ksh50, but KUPPET says the adjustment was still too small.Misori compared the payments with wages earned in other sectors, including construction, saying many construction workers earn at least Ksh1,000 per day, which is far higher than what teachers receive for handling national examinations.
The unions are now urging the government to urgently release the remaining funds needed by KNEC and review examination allowances. They insist that teachers deserve timely payment and better compensation, warning that failure to address the issue could affect the administration of this year’s KCSE examinations if many teachers decide not to participate.
