The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has moved to secure storage materials for national examination papers ahead of the 2026 cycle, seeking contractors to supply new containers and undertake related repairs.
In a tender notice issued on Tuesday, August 11, the council invited eligible bidders to submit offers for the supply and delivery of the containers.
“KNEC invites sealed bids from eligible Bidders for the Tenders below: Supply and delivery of Examination Storage Containers and related repair services,” the notice stated.
It signals a key step in KNEC’s preparations for the administration and handling of examination materials ahead of this year’s national tests.
The latest procurement comes a month after KNEC opened applications for teachers and tutors seeking training to become examiners for the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
KNEC EXAMINERS TRAINING
The examiner training was scheduled to run between July and August through online learning, followed by residential sessions for shortlisted applicants.
KNEC’s recruitment targeted examiners for KJSEA subjects, including English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Agriculture, Social Studies, Christian Religious Education, Creative Arts and Sports, Pre-Technical Studies, and Special Needs Education papers.
For KCSE, the training targeted subjects such as Kiswahili, Biology Practical, Islamic Religious Education, Computer Studies, French, German, Arabic, and several Special Needs Education papers.
Successful trainees are expected to form part of the pool of personnel KNEC will engage to mark the examinations starting in October this year.
The council’s latest preparations also come amid uncertainty after teachers’ unions warned that educators could boycott the 2026 cycle if delayed payments owed to personnel who participated in the 2025 national examination exercise remain unresolved.
Last week, Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa moved to assure teachers that the outstanding payments would be addressed while appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education.
He said the Ministry of Education had released the to KNEC, with payments to invigilators, supervisors, and other examination personnel scheduled to begin on August 6.
While there has been no confirmation that all outstanding payments have been settled, KNEC has now turned its attention to another aspect of the examination process as it prepares the facilities and equipment required to handle examination materials.