The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) on Tuesday, May 9, released the timetable, instructions and guidelines for the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
According to KNEC, the exams will start on Thursday, October 10, and end on Friday, November 24.
KNEC further announced that between January 2023 to July 2023, students would undertake projects in Art and Design, Agriculture, Woodwork, Metalwork, Building Construction, and Computer Studies.
A nationwide rehearsal will be conducted on Thursday, October 10, in preparation for oral, practical and theoretical subjects.
Between Monday, October 23 and Friday, October 27, students will sit French (Oral), German (Oral), Arabic (Oral), Kenya Sign Language (Practical Signing Skills) and Music (Practical) exams.
On Wednesday, October 25, students will take the Home Science exam (Foods and Nutrition) with practicals conducted between Monday, October 30, and Tuesday, October 31.
On Wednesday, November 1, students will sit the following exams for the morning session; French (Listening Comprehension, Dictation and Creative Writing), French (Listening Comprehension, Dictation and Creative Writing), Braille, German (Listening Comprehension and Composition), Arabic (Grammar, Reading Comprehension and Composition), Arabic (Grammar, Reading Comprehension and Composition) Large print, Kenyan Sign Language (Receptive Skills) and Music.
In the afternoon, the following papers will be offered; French (Reading Comprehension, Grammar and Functional Writing), French (Reading Comprehension, Grammar and Functional Writing) Large print, French (Reading Comprehension, Grammar and Functional Writing) Braille, German (Grammar and Reading Comprehension), German (Grammar and Reading Comp.) Large print, Arabic (Listening Comprehension and Dictation), Kenyan Sign Language (Language Use), and Music (Aural).
On Thursday, November 2, Home Science, Art and Design, Woodwork, Metalwork, Building Construction, Electricity and Aviation Technology exams will be offered.
In the afternoon, students will take the following exams; Power Mechanics, Drawing and Design, and Computer Studies.
On Friday, November 3, there will be practical sessions for the exams on Friday, November 2.
The KCSE exam will officially kick off across all schools in Kenya on Monday, November 6, when students will sit for Chemistry and English (Functional Skills) papers.
The following day, students will take Mathematics (Alt-A) and English (Comprehension, Literary Appreciation and Grammar).
On Wednesday, November 8, students will sit the Chemistry exam in the morning and English (Creative Composition and Essays based on Set Texts) in the afternoon.
On Thursday, November 9, students will sit for Kiswahili (Lugha and Insha), while the following day will take Chemistry (Practical).
Mathematics (Alt-B) and Kiswahili (Fasihi) will be done Monday, November 13; on Tuesday, November 14, there will be Religious Education exams and Biology.
The students will take paper 2 of religious education on Wednesday, November 15, plus History and Government paper 1.
An invigilator distributes papers during the start of KCSE exam at Starehe Boys’ Centre, Nairobi, on Monday, March 14, 2023. PHOTO MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
KNEC will offer paper 2 of Biology, and History and Government papers on Thursday, November 16.
Friday, November 17, will be dedicated to Biology practicals.
Students taking Geography will sit for their Paper 1 exam on Monday, November 20, as well as those taking Physics and General Science.
On the morning of Tuesday, November 21, students will sit for their Paper 1 in Business Studies, and in the afternoon, sit for Agriculture Paper 1. Paper 2 for both subjects will be done on Thursday, November 23.
Geography and Physics students will sit for their Paper 2 on Wednesday, November 22.
The 2023 KCSE exam will end on Friday, November 24, with a Physics (Practical) paper.
Instructions to students
KNEC indicated that only in exceptional circumstances will a paper be given to any candidate over half an hour late.
“You are not allowed to have in your possession or in your proximity while in the examination room, any book, notes, papers or any other materials whatsoever except the correct question papers and any materials expressly authorized by KNEC,” the exam body warned.
KNEC added that any misconduct or causing of disturbance in or near the examination room would be treated as an examination irregularity.
Penalties
KNEC warned that a candidate who commits an examination irregularity in any paper will have the results for the whole subject cancelled.
“Such a candidate will not be entitled to a result and will be awarded result “Y” overall,” a notice from KNEC read in part.
If there is evidence of widespread irregularities in any examination centre, KNEC warned that the examination results for the whole centre will be cancelled.
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