The marking exercise for the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE, has begun with results expected before Christmas.

Chief Examiners, their assistants and Team Leaders were the first to report immediately the last paper was done; on Saturday 25th November, 2023.

The Kenya National Examinations Council, Knec, has selected a number of schools within Nairobi and its environs, to be used as the 2023 KCSE marking centres. 

Some of the selected schools include: Starehe Girls Centre, Machakos Girls, Alliance Girls, Lang’ata High School, Loreto Girls and Mary Leakey Girls High.

The marking exercise that usually takes two to three weeks will be completed in time for release of results; before Christmas day.

The Examiners will first be taken through the marking schemes in a process called Coordination. They will then mark dummy papers to ensure that the marking scheme has been well understood. This will be followed by marking of the real KCSE candidates’ papers.

After marking, the examiners will then populate the marks, cross check for accuracy and then record the raw marks on Knec sheets.

This year, the Council has regulated the number of invited examiners. This is after retiring CRE examiners who downed tools last year, over poor pay and working conditions. Also retired are Junior Secondary school teachers and those working on BOM terms.

Knec has cautioned those above 58 years from attending the rigorous marking exercise. also cautioned are those with underlying medical conditions and breast feeding mothers.

It is important to note that the marking exercise is purely residential.

On a positive note, Knec has revised the pay for the examiners this year. The coordination fee has been increased to Sh250 per day. Also reviewed upwards is the basic fees which will now be Ksh1,500. Marking fees per script has equally been increased.