Education CS Prof George Magoha at Shimo la Tewa year 2021 KCSE examination centre at Nyali in Mombasa County on March 14, 2022. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

Candidates sitting the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams will start joining universities in June.

University Education and Research Principal Secretary Simon Nabukwesi said the government will ensure the exams are marked in record time to facilitate university placements.

"We have already engaged the teachers who will be marking the exams and asked them to report to marking centres. The preparations are ongoing well and we urge the teachers to be just to our candidates,” said Nabukwesi who spoke in Kaptembwo, Nakuru West sub-county, on Thursday when he supervised the distribution of examination materials.

He added: "The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) will start placing the candidates in the institutions immediately the KCSE results are released. There will be no waste of time. Candidates will be picked to join universities in early June. Those joining colleges and vocational institutes will do so in September.”

He called on all stakeholders to ensure the integrity of the exams.

"It is not right for us to give candidates wrong results. This may affect them even in the future. Let us do due diligence to ensure everything is done well," Nabukwesi said.

The PS also called on the candidates not to involve themselves in cheating. "Don't involve yourself in examination irregularities as this may put you on the wrong side of the law. Focus on doing your exams without issues so you can transition to colleges and universities without problems," Nabukwesi said.

"Completing secondary education marks the beginning of another journey. Secondary school is not the climax. Please pursue higher education to secure your future and better contribute to nation-building," said the PS.