Thousands of teachers who marked the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) examinations have finally received the balance of their long-awaited marking allowances after months of delays.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced that the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) had completed the disbursement of the outstanding payments following the release of KSh1.5 billion by the National Treasury.
The Cabinet Secretary said the funds were received on July 7, 2026, enabling KNEC to clear the pending balances owed to examiners.
“We are pleased to inform all examiners who participated in the marking of the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination, that the balance of their marking allowances has been disbursed to their respective accounts by the Kenya National Examinations Council.”
Ogamba added that the payment followed the Treasury’s allocation specifically meant to settle the outstanding dues.
“This disbursement follows the receipt of KSh1.5 billion from the National Treasury on 7th July, 2026, being the allocation for clearing the balance.”
The CS also thanked teachers and other contracted professionals for their patience during the delayed payment period.
“We commend the examiners and other contracted professionals for their professionalism, patience and continued commitment to fostering quality and credibility in our national assessments and examinations.”
Months of frustration
The announcement brings to an end months of anxiety among thousands of contracted professionals who had repeatedly complained over delayed payment of allowances earned during the administration and marking of the 2025 national examinations.
The delays sparked widespread dissatisfaction among teachers, with many taking to social media and professional forums to demand the immediate release of their dues. Some examiners warned that continued delays could discourage teachers from participating in future national examinations, while others threatened industrial action if the payments were not made.
The Ministry of Education had earlier acknowledged the delays, attributing them to budgetary constraints while assuring affected teachers that the government was working with the National Treasury to secure the required funds.
Treasury steps in
The breakthrough came after Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi confirmed that the National Treasury would release KSh1.5 billion to facilitate payment of contracted professionals engaged in the 2025 national examinations.
The allocation was ring-fenced to clear outstanding allowances owed to examiners, supervisors, invigilators, centre managers and other personnel involved in administering the national examinations and assessments.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Education confirmed that the funds had been transferred to KNEC, paving the way for processing of payments.
Relief for thousands of teachers
The payment is expected to provide relief to thousands of teachers who participated in the marking of the 2025 KCSE and KJSEA examinations and had waited for several months to receive their full allowances.
Reports indicate that the delays had left many examiners struggling financially, with teacher unions and education stakeholders repeatedly urging the government to prioritise settlement of the arrears.
The issue also generated concern within the education sector, coming at a time when teachers have been pushing for improved welfare and timely payment for additional duties undertaken on behalf of KNEC.
Government promises timely payments
With the outstanding balances now cleared, the Ministry of Education says it remains committed to ensuring contracted professionals are compensated promptly for future national examinations.
The government has previously pledged to streamline funding for examination administration to avoid a repeat of the delays experienced after the 2025 examination cycle.
The payment marks the conclusion of a months-long standoff that had become one of the most pressing concerns among teachers involved in Kenya’s national examination system, with thousands of examiners now receiving the compensation they had been awaiting since completing the marking exercise.