The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has uncovered a fraudulent scheme in which scammers are luring Kenyans into paying for fake upgrades of their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.
On Tuesday, February 4, KNEC raised the alarm about a misleading social media post that urged parents and students to apply for grade upgrades and processing of KCSE certificates. The council made it clear that such services are illegal and warned the public against falling victim to these scams.
Upon investigating the origin of the post, Kenyans.co.ke discovered that fraudsters were targeting individuals who sat for their KCSE exams between 2000 and 2024, falsely claiming they could modify their grades upon request.
The scammers were found to be operating through a Facebook account that uses KNEC’s official logo as its profile picture, making it appear legitimate. The bio of the fraudulent account claimed to offer services such as upgrading KCSE grades and altering university entry records, all of which are against the law.
Additionally, the con artists extended their fake services to students who sat for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) exams. According to their misleading post, students who took TVET exams between 2010 and 2024 were also eligible for grade upgrades.
The fraudulent post further misled Kenyans by claiming that KNEC’s database had been modified to allow changes to previous exam results.
“The above years have been made open-source information in the KNEC database/servers; that’s why we are taking this opportunity to do an upgrade for those who never coped with their grades,” the fake post read in part.
In response, KNEC issued a strong warning to Kenyans, emphasizing, “Beware of fraudsters. Do not be conned.” The council reiterated that no individual or organization outside KNEC has the authority to alter KCSE results.
Growing Scams Amid KCSE Changes
Cases of KCSE-related fraud have increased, especially since the government announced that the last KCSE exam under the current system would be held in 2027. Criminals have been taking advantage of this transition period to deceive desperate students and parents.
KNEC clarified that all official KCSE result slips are sent to Sub-County Directors of Education, where school heads collect them on behalf of students. Typically, this process is completed within a month after the results are released.
The 2024 KCSE results were officially announced on January 9, and the final certificates for this year’s candidates will be issued later in the year. Normally, it takes about eight months after the exams for the certificates to be printed and distributed.
This year, a total of 965,501 candidates sat for the KCSE exams. Out of these, 246,391 students scored a mean grade of C+ and above, making them eligible for university admission. This marks the highest number of university qualifiers in the past eight years.
Mid-Year KCSE Exams Face Legal Challenge
To help more students meet university entry requirements, Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba announced plans for a mid-year KCSE exam, which was scheduled to take place every July until 2027. However, this proposal has run into legal challenges.
A court in Kisii suspended the mid-year exams until a case challenging their implementation is heard and determined. This decision halted both the registration of candidates and the planned practical assessments that were supposed to start late last month.
Despite the court order, the government remains determined to push forward with the new exam system. CS Ogamba stated that legal teams were already working on appealing the ruling. “As a government, we are determined to ensure the mid-year exams are administered for the benefit of students. At the moment, our lawyers are reviewing the conservatory order and will respond accordingly,” he explained.
With these ongoing challenges, students and parents are advised to stay vigilant and avoid falling prey to scammers promising fraudulent exam upgrades.
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