Candidates who missed 2023 KCPE to join Form One, take qualifying test later

Candidates who did not sit their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations last year will nonetheless join secondary schools this year, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced on Monday.

CS Machogu said the cohort of 2,000 pupils will be admitted to Form One on January 15 alongside those who sat the exam.

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will make separate arrangements for the learners to sit their qualifying examinations later before they get to Form Three, the education minister said.

“Upon further scrutiny of the number of candidates who failed to sit their examinations, the council has only been able to trace 2,000 eligible learners… it has been decided that the 2,000 candidates join Form One January 15th and be allowed to sit qualifying examinations later,” Machogu said.

“They will however be advised to ensure they sit their qualifying examinations before they join Form Three to enable them to be registered to sit their KCSE when they get to Form Four.”

During the release of the 2023 KCPE results on November 23, 2023, the CS said candidates who had missed the exam would have a chance to sit a special examination this month to ensure no one from the final 2023 cohort misses Form One admission.

He at the time placed the number of learners who had missed the exam at 9,354.