Thousands of teachers who participated in the marking of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) examinations have received a major boost after the government released long-awaited funds to settle their outstanding allowances.


Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced that the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) had successfully disbursed the balance of marking allowances to all eligible examiners following the release of KSh1.5 billion by the National Treasury on July 7. The funds were specifically allocated to clear pending payments owed to teachers and other contracted professionals involved in the national examination marking exercise.


The announcement brings to an end months of uncertainty and frustration among thousands of examiners who had been waiting for their dues since completing the demanding marking process. Teachers and their unions had repeatedly raised concerns over the delays, warning that prolonged non-payment could affect morale and future participation in national examination exercises.


In a statement, Ogamba commended the examiners for their professionalism, patience, and dedication despite the delayed payments. He acknowledged the critical role played by teachers in ensuring the credibility, fairness, and integrity of Kenya's national examinations and assessments.


The delayed payments had become a major concern within the education sector, with teacher unions at one point threatening to boycott future examination duties unless the government honored its financial obligations. Parliament and education stakeholders had also piled pressure on the Treasury and the Ministry of Education to expedite the release of funds.


The 2025 examination season was among the largest in Kenya's history, involving millions of candidates sitting KCSE, KJSEA, and other national assessments. To successfully administer and mark the examinations, KNEC relied on thousands of contracted professionals, including examiners, invigilators, supervisors, and center managers.


Education stakeholders have welcomed the government's decision, expressing hope that future payments will be processed promptly to avoid similar delays. The settlement of the allowances is expected to ease financial pressure on affected teachers and restore confidence ahead of preparations for the 2026 national examinations.