Candidates found guilty of cheating in the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations may never get a second chance to sit the test. 

This is after Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba on Friday warned those involved in exam malpractices that they will face a three-year ban from taking any national exam, a period far longer than the two years remaining before KCSE is fully phased out.

This means, once their results are cancelled, they effectively lose their only window to ever complete the KCSE.

The details emerged as some 78 candidates have so far been arrested for engaging in exam malpractices in the ongoing KCSE exams.

“Such candidates shall also be prohibited from taking an examination for a period not exceeding three years, as mandated by law,” the CS said, attributing the ban to provisions under the Kenya National Examinations Act, 2012.

Ogamba further  raised concern over individuals misusing social media to leak exam content.

“Our security agencies have been swift and have so far apprehended seventy-eight individuals,” he said, adding that more arrests will follow through evidence-led operations.

He also revealed that seven cases of impersonation mainly involving adult candidates have been detected. Those involved will face prosecution, and the results of implicated candidates cancelled.

This comes as the marking of written responses of the first ever Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) begins.

Ogamba said the test, which was concluded on November 3, 2025 and whose results are expected in December, is being marked in 24 centres. 

A total of 11,342 examiners are taking part in the exercise.