The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) removed 370,000 students from its 2019 examination registers, including 342,916 primary (KCPE) and 28,713 secondary (KCSE) candidates, following allegations of registration irregularities.
Investigations revealed schools and parents allegedly manipulated birth registration data to enroll students improperly. KNEC CEO Dr. Mercy Karogo confirmed the cancellations during a validation process, stating officials found discrepancies in enrollment records.
"Some schools entered zeros or random digits in birth registration fields," Karogo said, adding that the council was shocked by the scale of the anomalies. The 2019 action aligns with guidelines first established in 2012, according to the Kenyan Daily Post, which reported the incident.