Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has demanded that the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) immediately regrade the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results, citing alleged unfair treatment of Kenya Sign Language (KSL) candidates.
In a formal letter received by KNEC on January 13, 2026, Omtatah raised concerns about how KSL grades were computed differently for hearing and hearing-impaired students. While KSL is classified as a technical subject under Category 5 of the 8-4-4 curriculum, Omtatah argues that its inclusion in final mean grades was inconsistent.
He noted that for hearing-impaired candidates, KSL was counted alongside English and Kiswahili as a compulsory language. However, hearing candidates who sat for KSL as a technical subject reportedly had it excluded from their final scores.
“This post-examination policy change was implemented without notice or consultation with schools, parents, or students, despite candidates having studied the subject with the understanding that it would contribute to their final grades,” Omtatah said.
The senator highlighted that schools had invested resources in trained KSL teachers and dedicated instructional time based on the existing policy. He warned that the sudden exclusion of the subject from the grading system violated principles of fairness, inclusive education, and legitimate expectation.
Omtatah has requested that KNEC provide data within seven days on the number of candidates affected, recall and recompute the results to include KSL appropriately, and issue clear guidelines for future examinations.
He also urged KNEC to temporarily halt registration for the 2026 KCSE until the matter is resolved, warning that legal action may follow if the council does not act promptly.
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Education