The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has threatened to boycott national examination duties over unpaid fees, warning that the impasse over salaries with Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) could derail the conduct of 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.

The teachers’ body has asked its members to skip KNEC activities until the government examination body commits to paying and adopting better working conditions for staff. Speaking to the Daily Nation, KUPPET Secretary-General Akelo Misori warned that they would not allow the examination officials to resume work unless their demands are met.

“We are asking our members to sit back and not to participate in any exams conducted by KNEC. The union can freeze all activities if their demands are not met,”Misori said.

The row is over payment of fees and working conditions for teachers appointed as examiners, invigilators, supervisors and managers.

According to KUPPET, the examiners are not compensated enough for the extra duties they undertake. Deputy Secretary-General Moses Nthurima told the Daily Nation some markers are paid KSh55 for every set of papers they mark while a pocket payment of KSh150 is given to examiners.

The teachers’ body has asked the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to intervene and negotiate with KNEC on new terms. The latest disagreement comes after a row over payments of examination allowances that left teachers in limbo over unpaid installments for 2025.

The National Treasury advanced KSh1.5 billion to KNEC on July 7 and two days later Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced that the examination board had paid all examiners. However, the current impasse is over insufficient working conditions and not payments.

According to the examination timetable released by KNEC, Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) rehearsals will be on Friday, October 16 ahead of oral and practical examinations from October 19. Main papers are expected to commence on November 2 and conclude on November 20.

KUPPET’s memo does not indicate that preparations for the examination have been stalled. The question remains whether the two sides can reach an understanding before the papers start.