Ogamba Announces When KNEC Invigilators Will Be Paid

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has assured thousands of teachers and education professionals across the country that long-awaited payments for their role in national examinations will be settled by the end of this week.

The CS confirmed that teachers who served as invigilators, supervisors, centre managers, and examiners will finally receive their dues after weeks of uncertainty and mounting pressure from stakeholders.

Speaking on April 11 during an event at Kisii University, Ogamba moved to dispel widespread claims that the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) had not received the necessary funding to compensate contracted professionals.

His remarks, which were widely circulated by local Gusii radio and television stations, sought to reassure affected teachers that the government had already secured the required resources through the recently approved supplementary budget.

“The supplementary budget has been passed, and we now have the resources. We sincerely apologize for the delays experienced,” Ogamba stated.

He clarified that while KNEC had already managed to pay casual workers and drivers who supported the examination process, payments for the main officials, largely teachers, were still pending but would be prioritized once funds are released from the exchequer within the week.

The CS’s remarks come at a time when the government is preparing for an upcoming visit to the Gusii region by William Ruto

Ogamba indicated that his presence in the region was partly to oversee preparations for the President’s tour, even as concerns over delayed payments continued to dominate discussions among educators.

In recent weeks, speculation had been rife that KNEC might delay paying contracted professionals who participated in the 2025 national examinations until after the July budget cycle.

Some insiders had suggested that the Council lacked sufficient funds and would therefore be unable to settle the dues in the short term. However, Ogamba firmly rejected these claims, insisting that the situation had now been resolved following the enactment of the supplementary budget.

On April 8, President Ruto signed into law the Supplementary Appropriations Bill, 2026 at State House Nairobi, increasing total government expenditure by Sh393 billion—from Sh4.3 trillion to Sh4.69 trillion.

The President noted that the revised budget was designed to address urgent national priorities, including security operations, disaster response, and key infrastructure investments.

Despite the overall increase in spending, the education sector received Sh45.28 billion, significantly lower than the Sh66 billion that had initially been proposed. This reduction raised concerns within the sector, particularly regarding KNEC’s ability to meet its financial obligations to exam personnel.

Earlier, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok had urged Members of Parliament to fast-track approval of the full Sh66 billion allocation, citing growing pressure to pay exam invigilators and support other critical programs.

He explained that the funds would also go toward school capitation and the school feeding program in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). However, the eventual downsizing of the budget appears to have affected several key allocations, including those tied to examination logistics.

Amid the confusion, KNEC recently dismissed a viral social media postdated April 8 that falsely claimed the Council had already received funds from the National Treasury to pay invigilators and examiners. The Council clarified that no such disbursement had been made at the time, further fueling frustration among teachers awaiting payment.

Tensions have continued to rise, with some union officials threatening to stage protests at KNEC headquarters, popularly known as Mitihani House, to demand immediate settlement of the outstanding dues.

Major teachers’ unions, including Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), have also issued stern warnings. They have threatened to boycott the 2026 national examinations if a sustainable and timely payment mechanism for invigilators is not established.

Each year, KNEC relies on thousands of contracted professionals, primarily teachers, but also drivers and security personnel, to successfully administer national examinations.

While teachers are not directly paid for invigilating within their own stations, the Council typically reimburses transport and facilitation costs after the examination process is completed, scripts marked, and results officially released.

However, delays in these payments have been a recurring issue. Some teachers have previously reported missing out on their dues altogether, prompting complaints and appeals to the Council.

According to KNEC, such delays are often caused by administrative challenges, including discrepancies in submitted data and incomplete documentation.

In a recent statement, the Council explained that payment delays are sometimes linked to data mismatches, unsigned or improperly filled attendance registers, and the need for thorough verification processes to ensure accurate disbursement.

KNEC has urged all affected professionals to confirm that their details in the Contracted Professionals (CP2) system match their official identification and mobile money registration information to avoid further delays.

With the government now insisting that funds are available and payments are imminent, attention has shifted to whether the promised timeline will be met and whether the recurring issue of delayed compensation for exam personnel can finally be resolved sustainably.

Read Also: Teachers Warn of National Exam Boycott Amid Pay Dispute with KNEC