A new Bill before Parliament is setting the stage for a major shake-up in how exams are handled across Kenya’s education system introducing strict penalties, tighter oversight, and technology-driven monitoring in a bid to clamp down on cheating and mismanagement.
The Kenya National Education Assessments Council (KNEAC) Bill, 2025, seeks to establish a new council with sweeping powers to administer assessments in basic education, teacher training, and post-school programs. A key feature of the Bill is its tough stance on malpractice with individuals found guilty of leaking, tampering with, or mishandling assessment materials facing up to 10 years in jail or fines of up to Ksh.2 million.
“It proposes a 10-year imprisonment or a fine not exceeding Ksh.2 million for any person who gains access to exam material before or during an assessment,” the Bill states.
The legislation would also criminalize any attempt to help candidates obtain unauthorized access to assessment papers, whether through carelessness or intent. Additionally, tampering with official exam records such as altering results could lead to a five-year prison term or a fine of up to Ksh.1 million.
To ensure transparency and consistency in grading, the Council will be tasked with creating clear guidelines for how all forms of assessment are marked from written tests to practicals, projects, and oral exams. It will also oversee the appointment of examiners and team leaders at all levels.
In a significant shift from past practice, the Bill allows the Council to embrace a range of modern scoring technologies, including AI-driven systems.
“The Council may, from time to time, implement the following methods of marking and scoring…AI-based marking and any other method deemed appropriate,” reads part of the Bill.
School heads, principals, and assessors will be required to ensure all registered learners’ results are recorded and uploaded accurately using a centralized platform.
If passed, the Bill will phase out some of the current functions of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), effectively replacing its role in marking and releasing national results with the new Council.
