Human rights activist Okiya Omtatah Okoiti has formally petitioned the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), demanding urgent action over what he describes as unfair and discriminatory handling of Kenya Sign Language (KSL) in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
In a statement, Omtatah said KSL was inconsistently excluded from the final grade computation for some candidates after the examinations had already been administered. He argued that the decision was made without prior notice, stakeholder consultation, or any clear legal or policy justification.
According to Omtatah, the post-examination exclusion of KSL violates fundamental principles of fairness, legitimate expectation, and inclusive education, particularly disadvantaging learners who rely on the subject as part of their academic and communication framework.
“KSL was excluded from final grade computation for some candidates after the exam, without notice, consultation, or legal basis,” Omtatah stated. “This is unjust and discriminatory.”
He has demanded several corrective measures from KNEC, including an immediate re-grading of affected candidates’ results, full disclosure on how and why the decision was made, and the issuance of clear and consistent policy guidance on the status of KSL in national examinations.
Omtatah further warned that failure to address the issue promptly would leave him with no option but to pursue legal action against the examinations body.
“Exams must be fair. Rules cannot change after the fact,” he said, emphasizing that examination integrity depends on transparency, predictability, and equal treatment of all candidates.
The controversy has reignited debate on inclusivity in Kenya’s education and examination systems, particularly regarding learners with disabilities and the recognition of Kenya Sign Language as a legitimate and protected mode of instruction and assessment.
KNEC had not publicly responded to the claims at the time of the statement, as pressure mounts for clarity and corrective action ahead of university and tertiary institution placements based on the 2025 KCSE results.
