The High Court has cleared the way for 303 learners at Gatoto Community Primary School to sit the 2026 Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) examinations despite an ongoing dispute over the management of the school and its examination centre.
The development follows a consent adopted by the court setting out how the examinations will be prepared and administered at the school. Under the agreement, KNEC-registered centre manager Margaret Kimani Kabugi and seven other staff members will be allowed access to Gatoto Community Primary School from October 1 to October 30, 2026, to prepare for and administer the assessments.
The eight staff members will work alongside the petitioners’ staff to facilitate the examination process.
“The said eight (8) staff members shall work in hand with the Petitioners’ staff members for the success of all candidates,” the consent states. KNEC officers contracted and approved to conduct the examinations will also have access to the school. They include the centre manager, invigilators, supervisors, monitors and accompanying uniformed police officers assigned examination duties.
The consent comes after the court heard concerns over the administration of the examinations following a dispute over the management of Gatoto Community Primary School and the centre manager listed in KNEC records.
KNEC Chief Executive Officer Dr David Njeng’ere told the court that the examination process was already at an advanced stage, with registration having opened on February 16 and closed on March 31, 2026. He said KNEC subsequently generated a nominal roll containing the details of every registered candidate. The centre manager was required to confirm that the candidates were bona fide learners at the school and verify their examination details. Njeng’ere said the records could not be altered at this stage without compromising the integrity of the examination process.
“No, you cannot change any details here. Actually, it is against the law because that would be tampering with the examination records,” he told the court.
The CEO further informed the court that examination materials for the candidates had already been printed and were being held at the KNEC warehouse awaiting dispatch to distribution centres.
“All these materials have already been printed. They are in our warehouse and they are going to be dispatched next week to the distribution centres,” he said.
The first examination is scheduled for October 26.
The dispute also came under scrutiny during the testimony of the KNEC Regional Director, who was questioned by lawyer Danstan Omari on whether the new Gatoto management had formally applied for the transfer of the relevant KNEC and school credentials. The Regional Director said communication seeking the transfer had been received but maintained that his office did not have the authority to effect the change. He described relations between education officials and the new management as strained, but told the court that officials remained willing to engage for the benefit of the learners.
“For the interest of the learner we are ready to engage, we are ready to consult, we are ready to cooperate,” he said.
Under the consent, the centre manager will have further access to the school until November 7, 2026. The Current school management, staff, servants and agents have been directed not to obstruct or interfere with the authorised access. The court stated that the arrangement was made to safeguard the best interests and educational welfare of the learners and facilitate the 2026 KPSEA and KJSEA assessments.
The consent further makes clear that the orders do not determine or prejudice the rights of the parties in the wider dispute.
The agreement now provides a framework for the 303 Gatoto candidates to proceed with their national assessments while the underlying dispute over the management of the school and examination centre remains before the court.
