KNUT officials demand payment for invigilators, threaten boycott 2026 exams

The Kenya Union of Teachers (KNUT) has raised alarm over delayed compensation from the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) for supervising and invigilating national exams.

The Union said despite the government releasing funds through the National Treasury, thousands of contracted professionals face delayed payments.

KUNT officials led by national Chairman Dr. Patrick Karinga Munuhe, Michael Muna and George Gatundu said the delayed payment may result in teachers boycotting supervision of the forthcoming National Examinations at the end of this year.

The government has allocated Ksh.1.5 billion to settle pending dues for invigilators and supervisors. However, allowances remain delayed for many pending verifications on the KNEC ⁠Contracted Professionals CP2 System.

The officials noted that teachers have waited for a long time to be paid for the services they rendered and hence are now threatening to boycott participating in the 2026 National examinations as supervisors and invigilators.

They spoke at Gatero village in Laikipia West Constituency during the funeral service of a KNUT member and teacher from Nyandarua South Lucy Wambui Maina, who succumbed after a long illness.

Likewise, KNUT grassroots officials have vowed not to supervise the upcoming national examinations until teachers are paid their pending allowances.

Speaking in Eldoret led by Rift Valley KNUT chairman John Koech and Keiyo Executive Secretary, Anthony Kimurto, the officials said teachers are yet to be paid last year's allowances.

We will not invigilate the examinations because imagine you work without pay from last year October to date. They owe us and they should pay," Koech noted.

They called on their members to keep off the supervision of the upcoming national examination unless they are paid their dues in full.

Kimurto noted that those in leadership are not seeing value in the education sector.

"If we are not paid we will not invigilate this year. If we will not get paid then let the chief and area elders do that job. I suspect there are some elements in government who did not do their job, they do not see any value of education," Kimruto said.

Recently, Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa said the government will soon release pending payments for the remaining 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) invigilators and supervisors who are yet to receive their allowances.

Ololtuaa said the Ministry of Education is working closely with the National Treasury to finalise the payment arrangements, assuring the affected teachers that they will receive their dues once the process is complete.

The officials at the same time too issue with the government over teachers health insurance scheme claiming SHA was not serving teachers’ health as was before.

They want the government to come up with a reliable teacher’s health insurance cover that is commensurate with their service.

KNUT grassroot officials have vowed not to supervise the upcoming national examinations until teachers are paid their pending allowances.