Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah is demanding action from the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) over what he describes as unfair grading in the 2025 KCSE examinations, particularly in Kenya Sign Language (KSL). He has issued a seven-day ultimatum, warning that he will move to court if the issue is not resolved.
In a formal demand letter sent on January 13, four days after the KCSE results are released, Omtatah accuses Knec of applying inconsistent grading standards that disadvantage certain candidates. He argues that the treatment of KSL results differs unfairly between hearing-impaired and hearing students.
According to the senator, KSL is correctly counted as a compulsory language for hearing-impaired candidates and contributes to their final grade. However, for hearing students who take KSL under the government’s inclusive education policy, the subject is reportedly excluded from their overall mean score. Instead, it is treated as a technical subject that does not affect the final grade.
Omtatah says this policy unfairly penalises students who choose to study KSL, placing them at a disadvantage compared to peers whose technical subjects, such as Computer Studies or Business Studies, are included in their aggregates. He describes the situation as discriminatory and says it undermines efforts to promote inclusive education and the use of national languages.
The senator is calling for an immediate recall and recomputation of the affected KCSE results, insisting that KSL marks for all candidates should be included in their final grades. He has also asked Knec to release full data on the number of students affected and the specific grading adjustments made.
Omtatah warns that failure to comply will lead to a legal petition in the High Court seeking orders to enforce fair and equal grading practices. He notes that the disputed results could influence university placement outcomes for thousands of students applying for admission in the 2025/2026 academic year.
In addition, he is urging Knec to suspend registration for the 2026 KCSE examinations until the matter is conclusively addressed. As of now, Knec has not issued a public response, even as the deadline approaches, leaving students, parents, and educators waiting for clarity on the fate of the contested results.
