My child's KCSE results were cancelled. Can we appeal?
Kenya National Examinations Council Act, 2012 · sources read 5 Oct 2026
Yes. If KNEC cancels or withholds results, you can appeal in writing to the National Examinations Appeals Tribunal within 14 days of KNEC's decision. For a child, the parent or guardian files the appeal.
- How long
- The Tribunal must decide within 60 days for secondary exams (KCSE) and 30 days for primary-level exams
- Deadline
- 14 days from KNEC's decision to lodge the appeal
- Where
- National Examinations Appeals Tribunal, directly or through your County Director of Education
Steps
- Write your appeal and lodge it with the Tribunal within 14 days of KNEC's decision.
- Or hand it in through the County Director of Education in the county where you live, who must send it to the Tribunal within 5 days.
- At the hearing you can appear in person or be represented by an advocate or another person the Tribunal allows.
- If you're unhappy with the Tribunal's decision, you can appeal to the High Court on a point of law or a serious procedural error.
Watch out
- While KNEC investigates suspected irregularities, it withholds the candidate's results until the investigation ends.
- KNEC must cancel a candidate's results if it has reasonable cause to believe they were obtained by irregular means.
Who this covers
- A candidate whose results KNEC withheld or cancelled (a parent or guardian appeals for a child)
- A school whose candidates' results were withheld or cancelled
Official sources (1)
- Kenya National Examinations Council Act (No. 29 of 2012), version of 31 December 2022 new.kenyalaw.org · read 5 Oct 2026