KCSE rehearsals to proceed despite Friday's public holiday
Education
By
Ronald Kipruto
| Oct 16, 2025
Nakuru boys High school KCSE candidates. [Photo, File]
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) rehearsals scheduled for Friday, October 17, will proceed as planned despite the day being declared a public holiday.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Thursday gazetted the holiday to honor former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who died in India yesterday.
According to officials at the Ministry of Education, postponing the rehearsals would significantly disrupt the national examination calendar.
The decision follows a familiar pattern, as the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has in the past maintained exam timetables despite newly declared public holidays.
On the same day, Kenya will hold a state funeral service for Raila Odinga at Nyayo National Stadium.
His body will then be taken to his Karen home overnight before being flown to Kisumu on Saturday, October 18, for a final public viewing at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo. He will be buried on Sunday, October 19, at his Opoda farm in Bondo.
A total of 1,130,669 candidates have registered for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) this year, the first exit exam for Junior Secondary learners.
Another 1,298,089 candidates will sit the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA).
During the rehearsals, candidates, who begin their national exams on Tuesday, October 21, with French, Arabic, Sign Language, and German orals, will be briefed on examination rules and procedures. Teachers and supervisors will also review protocols for administering and overseeing the tests.
The national exams and assessments will run from Friday, October 17, to Friday, November 21, 2025. Briefings for supervisors, invigilators, and center managers began on Monday, October 6.