Ksh1.5 Billion Released, Yet Teachers Remain Unpaid as KNUT Threatens 2026 Exam Boycott.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has threatened to boycott the marking, invigilation and supervision of the 2026 national examinations over delayed payment of allowances for teachers who participated in the 2025 examination exercise.
The union issued the warning during a meeting held in Laikipia West Constituency on Saturday, July 26, stating that teachers had not received their invigilation and supervision allowances despite the National Treasury releasing Ksh1.5 billion to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) for the payments.
According to KNUT officials, teachers will not participate in any examination duties during the 2026 national examinations unless all outstanding allowances are paid.
“We want that money back. First, pay the invigilation allowances for the 2025 examinations. If that does not happen, don’t expect any teacher to participate in any invigilation or supervision in the year 2026,” a KNUT official said.
The union stated that teachers had successfully conducted all national examination duties in 2025 but had yet to receive their payments despite government assurances that the funds had been released.
“From last year, teachers invigilated and supervised exams, all the national exams, and up to now they have not been paid. And we are indeed perplexed when we hear Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi saying that he released that money, Ksh1.5 billion, to pay teachers, and it has not reached teachers,” the union added.
KNUT Criticises Delayed Payments
KNUT further criticised the continued explanation that payment delays were being caused by technical challenges within government systems.
Union officials said teachers had repeatedly been informed that payment systems had failed, despite the work having been completed several months earlier.
“We are tired of being told every now and then that the system has gone down, the system has broken,” the union said.
The union maintained that teachers should receive all outstanding examination allowances before preparations for the 2026 national examinations are finalised.
Treasury and Ministry of Education Statements
The dispute follows earlier assurances by the National Treasury and the Ministry of Education regarding payment of examination allowances.
In June 2026, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi confirmed that the National Treasury had released Ksh1.5 billion to facilitate payment of teachers who participated in the 2025 national examinations. The Cabinet Secretary stated that teachers were expected to begin receiving their allowances after the funds were released.
Subsequently, Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba announced that the Ministry of Education had commenced payment of the outstanding examination allowances.
In a statement issued on Thursday, July 9, Ogamba confirmed that the Kenya National Examinations Council had disbursed the balance of marking allowances to examiners who participated in the marking of the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
“We are pleased to inform all examiners who participated in the marking of the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination that the balance of their marking allowances has been disbursed to their respective accounts by the Kenya National Examinations Council,” Ogamba stated.
Fresh Questions Over Allowance Payments
KNUT’s latest position has raised questions regarding the status of the funds that the National Treasury indicated had been released and which the Ministry of Education subsequently stated had been disbursed through the Kenya National Examinations Council.
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The union maintains that teachers responsible for invigilation and supervision of the 2025 national examinations have not received their allowances and has warned that participation in the 2026 national examination exercise, including invigilation, supervision and marking, will not proceed unless the outstanding payments are settled.
The dispute emerges as preparations for the 2026 national examinations continue, with KNUT linking its participation in examination administration to the full payment of all outstanding 2025 examination allowances.
Ksh1.5 Billion Released, Yet Teachers Remain Unpaid as KNUT Threatens 2026 Exam Boycott.
