The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has called on the Ministry of Education and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to take firm action against examination cheating, leakages and marking errors as more than 3.6 million learners undertake national examinations and assessments.

In a statement dated October 25, 2026, NCCK General Secretary Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui said examination officials must be held accountable for their responsibilities, warning that those involved in malpractice should face firm and visible consequences.

The council raised concerns over the lack of publicly available information on the action taken against 78 people arrested in 2025 over allegations of circulating examination materials on social media.

NCCK argued that examination papers could not be leaked without possible breaches by those entrusted with their security, urging authorities to investigate the incidents and hold those responsible accountable.

“The cases of examination cheating and leakages that were reported in past years must be curtailed and all officials involved have firm and visible action taken against them,” Kinyanjui said.

The council cited Ecclesiastes 8:11 to emphasise the need for prompt punishment of offenders, warning that failure to enforce penalties could encourage further examination malpractice.

Beyond cheating and leakages, NCCK urged examination administrators to address concerns over marking and grading practices, as well as errors in examination results reported in previous years.

It said examination results have a significant impact on learners’ futures and should therefore be handled with the highest levels of accuracy, fairness and professionalism.

The council also called for better remuneration and improved working conditions for teachers contracted to mark national examinations, citing complaints over long working hours, poor working conditions and delayed payments.

According to NCCK, the results of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Pre-Vocational Level Education Assessment (KPLEA) will play a critical role in determining learners’ future education pathways.

As the assessments continue, the council extended its best wishes to all candidates, assuring them of its prayers and support throughout the examination period.

“We know you have worked hard to get to this point of sitting for written examinations, and we join you in making the prayer recorded in Psalm 90:17,” the statement read.

NCCK prayed for God’s favour upon the candidates, asking that they be able to recall what they had studied and achieve results that reflect their efforts.

The council also prayed for the learners’ safety, urging for protection against accidents and other incidents that could disrupt their examinations.

It called on candidates to remain calm and peaceful throughout the assessment period, expressing hope that they would complete their examinations with confidence and satisfaction in their efforts.