In a landmark move that’s sending ripples through Kenya’s education sector, the Ministry of Education has declared that starting 2026, students bidding farewell to KCPE and KCSE certificates won’t have to knock on their old school doors anymore. Instead, these precious pieces of paper—gateways to universities, jobs, and brighter futures—will be waiting at sub-county education offices. It’s a policy shift that’s equal parts overdue justice and administrative overhaul, aimed at dismantling the infamous practice of schools withholding certificates over unpaid fees. For thousands of Kenyan learners who’ve felt the sting of this bureaucratic blackmail, it’s nothing short of liberating.
A bright-eyed Form Four graduate, diploma in hand (or so they thought), only to be turned away at the school gate because Mum couldn’t scrape together the last Sh5,000 in arrears. This isn’t a rare horror story; it’s the grim reality for countless students. Reports from the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) reveal that even as far back as 2023, over 5,000 certificates lay uncollected at KNEC offices alone, many victims of this fee-fee deadlock.
Fast-forward to 2025, and Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has had enough. Speaking before MPs, he laid it bare: “We’ve seen cases where school heads deny students certificates over unpaid fees, despite clear government regulations.”
Under the new rules, KNEC will dispatch certificates directly to sub-county offices, bypassing principals entirely. Collection will be straightforward—show up with your ID, and walk away empowered.
At the heart of this change is a simple truth: Education is a right, not a ransom. The KNEC Act of 2012 couldn’t be clearer—Section 10(1b) states no institution or person may withhold a certificate for any reason.
Yet, for years, school heads have wielded these documents like leverage, arguing it’s the only way to recover dues in an era of rising costs and economic squeezes. Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Chairperson Willy Kuria has voiced support for the shift, calling it a step toward fairness, though he admits fee recovery remains a headache.
“It’s not an option; we are directing all heads to release certificates,” Ogamba emphasized earlier this year, giving county directors just 14 days to comply in a sweeping crackdown.
The benefits? They’re transformative. First, accessibility skyrockets. Rural students in places like Funyula or Mombasa won’t face the trek back to distant schools, only to hit a fee wall. Sub-county offices are local, efficient hubs—think shorter queues and less drama. Second, it levels the playing field. Low-income families, hit hardest by the old system, now get unhindered access to their kids’ achievements. Imagine a KCPE topper from a slum school seamlessly transitioning to Form One, or a KCSE star landing that bursary without certificate purgatory. This isn’t just admin tweaks; it’s social equity in action, aligning with Kenya’s 100% transition policy and the push toward Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) milestones.
But let’s not sugarcoat the challenges. Schools, especially underfunded public ones, rely on fee collection to keep lights on and chalk in classrooms. Without certificates as “collateral,” how do they enforce payments? Ogamba hints at alternatives—like court pursuits—but that’s a slow grind for cash-strapped institutions.
Critics worry this could spike arrears, straining already tight budgets. And logistics? KNEC must ramp up distribution to hundreds of sub-county offices, ensuring no mix-ups in this digital-age handover. Will there be a grace period for the last 8-4-4 cohorts before CBC fully takes over? Details are fuzzy, but the ministry’s 2026 calendar rollout suggests seamless integration with exams like KPSEA and KCSE.
As we edge toward 2026, this policy feels like a victory lap for student rights advocates. Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo, who grilled the CS on ditching school middlemen, deserves a nod for sparking the fire.
It’s a reminder that education’s promise shouldn’t come with strings—or unpaid bills. For parents, it’s relief; for teachers, a call to innovate funding; for students, pure unadulterated hope. In the end, this isn’t just about pieces of paper. It’s about reclaiming futures, one certificate at a time. Kenya’s education system, long plagued by inequities, is inching toward a fairer horizon. Here’s to 2026: May every graduate collect not just their cert, but their dreams.