TSC Issues Tough New Rules on Recruitment of KCSE, KPSEA Exam Invigilators

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has issued fresh directives to teachers who wish to participate in the management of this year’s national examinations, requiring them to complete registration on the Competency Portal 2 (CP2) system by September 26, 2025.

In a circular signed by the acting TSC CEO, Evaleen Mitei, the Commission outlined new guidelines governing the recruitment of teachers who will serve as centre managers, supervisors, invigilators, and examiners during the upcoming Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).

The CP2 system, also known as the Teacher Management Information System for contract and part-time work, is an online platform used by TSC to streamline the deployment of teachers for short-term assignments. It allows the Commission to manage, vet, and contract teachers transparently.

TSC emphasized that only teachers who are: Qualified in their teaching areas, employed under the TSC, and registered with the Commission,

Teachers not on the CP2 platform will be excluded from the recruitment exercise. The Commission also stressed that recruited teachers will not be permitted to serve in schools where they have had any form of affiliation within the last three years. This measure aims to curb possible conflicts of interest and reinforce examination credibility.

The 2025 national examinations will be spread across October and November.

1. KPSEA: Scheduled for October 27–30, targeting Grade 6 learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
2. KJSEA: Will also commence on October 27 and conclude on November 6, covering junior school learners.
3. KCSE: Will run from November 3–21, involving Form Four candidates in secondary schools across the country.

Read Also: TSC Announces 24,000 Vacancies, Deadline, Salaries And How To Apply

These examinations are seen as a critical test of Kenya’s evolving education system, especially with the continued rollout of CBC.

According to the TSC circular, strict deployment rules will be applied to ensure efficiency, fairness, and accountability:

1. KPSEA Supervision

Supervisors must be primary school teachers with at least three years’ teaching experience and prior experience in invigilation.

Invigilators will also be primary school teachers with a minimum of three years’ classroom experience.

2. KJSEA Supervision

Supervisors must be secondary school teachers with at least a diploma in education, preferably senior staff.

Primary and junior school teachers selected must have three years’ teaching experience and a record of having participated in previous exam supervision.

3. KCSE Supervision

Supervisors must be secondary school teachers holding at least a diploma in education, with preference given to heads of departments or senior teachers.

Invigilators will be drawn from the pool of primary school teachers with a minimum of three years’ teaching experience.

To enhance accountability, KCSE supervisors will be rotated weekly.

In centres with visually impaired candidates, at least one invigilator trained in Braille must be deployed. For learners under the stage-based pathway, invigilators will supervise their own learners at a ratio of one invigilator per 10 candidates.

KILEA and KPLEA centres (special education pathways) will not have centre managers or supervisors—only invigilators will be present.

Where both KPSEA and KJSEA candidates are hosted in the same school, separate supervisors will be assigned to each assessment if there are at least 30 candidates In each category.

Invigilators will be allocated on a ratio of one for every 20 candidates, while supervisors for KCSE will be deployed at a ratio of one for every 200 candidates.

Both hosting and hosted schools will have centre managers, though hosting managers will shoulder the responsibility of collecting and returning exam materials.

During these sessions, only supervisors will be allowed at exam centres. This policy is intended to reduce unnecessary personnel presence and safeguard exam integrity.

TSC reiterated that all teachers must declare any vested interest in the centres they are deployed to. Declaration forms will be emailed directly to sub-county directors to be signed and submitted promptly.

The Commission noted that the new measures are part of broader reforms aimed at tightening oversight and ensuring that national examinations remain credible. Over the past years, exam malpractice and integrity challenges have been a concern, prompting KNEC and TSC to adopt stricter rules.

“These measures are designed to ensure transparency, fairness, and credibility in the management of this year’s examinations,” the circular stated.

As the examination season draws closer, the directives are expected to shape the roles of thousands of teachers across the country, underscoring their central role in safeguarding Kenya’s education system.

Read Also: TSC Gives Teachers Deadline To Apply For Advertised Jobs, How To Apply