Thousands of teachers who served as supervisors, invigilators, and exam markers during Kenya’s 2025 national examinations have threatened to boycott all examination-related activities in 2026 unless the government settles their outstanding allowances, which have been delayed for more than eight months.
Teachers’ unions have warned that they will advise their members not to attend training organized by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) or participate in the supervision and marking of national examinations until they receive their dues.
While presenting the 2026/2027 national budget on June 11, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi assured Members of Parliament that the KSh1.5 billion owed to teachers would be paid before June 30. However, the deadline passed without any payments being made.
Addressing the issue, a KNEC official said:
“The Council cannot release funds that have not yet been disbursed by the National Treasury.”
The delayed payments have affected thousands of teachers who supervised the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) examinations. According to budget documents, KNEC required KSh12.7 billion to administer the examinations but was allocated only KSh5.9 billion in the initial budget, leaving a significant funding shortfall.
One of the affected teachers, Ogoro Miruka of Lang’ata West Primary School, said he supervised examinations for 12 days under an agreement to earn KSh500 per day but has yet to receive any payment.
Another teacher, who requested anonymity, said:
“The delay in these payments has greatly demoralized many teachers.”
Evans Ochieng’ of Riruta Satellite Junior School also revealed that some examination markers are yet to receive their full payments.
Teachers’ union leaders have continued to pile pressure on the government to resolve the issue. KUPPET Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima said:
“An eight-month delay in paying teachers is completely unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, KNUT Nairobi Executive Secretary Mugwe Macharia said the union has been inundated with calls from frustrated teachers demanding urgent intervention to ensure they receive their rightful payments and to safeguard preparations for the 2026 national examinations.
