KNUT: unpaid 2025 exam staff still waiting despite Sh1.5bn release; 2026 risk flagged
Key points
- Treasury released Sh1.5 billion for exam supervisors/invigilators; KNUT says many 2025 workers still unpaid.
- Union leaders: delays linked to KNEC Contracted Professionals (CP2) verification — risk of 2026 duty refusals.
- Basic Education PS John Ololtuaa said remaining KCSE 2025 dues would be finalised with Treasury.
- KNEC: many examiners paid from June; urges unpaid staff to confirm CP2 details; 3% rate rise for eligible pros.
"Teachers have waited for a long time to receive their payments, and this situation could force some of them to decline taking part in the 2026 examination exercise," Kenya National Union of Teachers officials warned after a Sh1.5 billion release still left thousands of 2025 supervisors and invigilators unpaid, Eastleigh Voice reported.
National Chairman Patrick Karinga, with Michael Muna and George Gatundu, spoke at a Laikipia West funeral for KNUT member Lucy Wambui Maina. They said verification snags on KNEC's Contracted Professionals (CP2) system were holding legitimate claims even after National Treasury funded the arrears pool.
Ministry and council responses
Days earlier, Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa said the ministry was working with Treasury to clear remaining 2025 KCSE invigilator and supervisor allowances. KNEC said many examiners and other contracted professionals began receiving June payments, while some invigilator/supervisor files stayed in verification. The council told waiting teachers to confirm CP2 details and promised no verified legitimate claim would be abandoned.
KNEC also announced a three per cent uplift in payment rates for eligible contracted professionals — a recognition step that does not by itself clear the 2025 backlog. KNUT separately complained that SHA cover was performing worse than the previous teachers' medical scheme and demanded a reliable replacement.
Exam integrity runs on paid adults
National exams need willing supervisors. Education desk: Education.
KNEC should publish a weekly CP2 clearance count and a final pay date for the 2025 cohort before first 2026 centre allocations go out. Without that, the Sh1.5 billion headline will not quiet classrooms that still wait for M-Pesa alerts.
County education directors can also list how many local invigilators are still unpaid so the national figure has a ward-level face. Unpaid exam staff are a delivery failure that Treasury and KNEC share until the last verified claim clears.
Based on Eastleigh Voice reporting of KNUT, ministry and KNEC statements. Payment ledgers control who is still owed.
