Students across Kenya will soon collect their national examination certificates from sub-county education offices rather than their former schools, in what Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has termed a transformative step toward fairness and accessibility.
The Ministry of Education confirmed the policy shift, saying it aims to permanently end the long-standing issue of school principals withholding certificates over unpaid fees. For years, thousands of students have been unable to access their KCPE and KCSE certificates, locking them out of employment or further studies despite government directives declaring the practice illegal.
The change follows a question raised in Parliament by Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo, who demanded clarity on why learners continue to face difficulties obtaining their certificates. Oundo urged the government to adopt a centralized approach similar to how Kenyans access national IDs and birth certificates.
“If citizens can get IDs and birth certificates through centralized systems, there is no reason exam certificates should still be trapped in schools,” he said.
Responding before Parliament, CS Ogamba revealed that the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) had already developed a new framework to ensure smoother, more transparent distribution. Under the system, KNEC will dispatch KCPE and KCSE certificates directly to sub-county education offices, where official registers will record every collection for accountability.
“We have seen cases where school heads deny students certificates over unpaid fees, despite clear government regulations. By moving the collection to sub-county offices, we will ensure that every learner receives their document without unnecessary hurdles,” Ogamba said.
The new policy represents a major step toward equal access to education credentials and is expected to be rolled out nationwide once logistics are finalized. It is also part of the Ministry’s broader plan to digitize education services and promote transparency within Kenya’s examination system.
