KJSEA registration deadline: What you need to know
By Cynthia Lodite, March 9, 2026Registration for the 2026 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) is now open, with school heads required to use the KNEC CBA portal by March 16, 2026, to avoid penalties.
The Ministry of Education recently officially launched the registration process for the 2026 national examinations and assessments, covering the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA), and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA).
Registration timelines
The registration exercise marks the beginning of preparations for the assessments and examinations scheduled later in the year under the Competency-Based Curriculum framework.
Registration timelines are as follows: For KPSEA, the process runs from February 16 to March 16, 2026.
On the other hand, the KCSE registration opens on the same start date, February 16, and closes on March 31, 2026. KJSEA registration began on Monday, March 2, 2026 and is expected to come to an end on March 31, 2026.
Meanwhile, KNEC has further announced that it will not welcome any amendment of the registration data after May 2026.
“No request for the amendment of the registration data will be honoured after 22 May 2026,” KNEC announced.
KJSEA OTP verification
Meanwhile, as the registration deadline approaches, key requirements for the process include mandatory SMS-based OTP verification, uploading of Grade 5 assessment scores, and adherence to data protection laws, including parental consent.
Worth noting, KNEC had previously raised concerns over last-minute complaints from parents who only realised, close to the examination period, that their children were never registered as candidates.
At the time, the council urged parents to verify their students’ registration details early to avoid unnecessary distress and disruptions.
To address the issue, KNEC announced that it will roll out an SMS verification service in April 2026, enabling parents to confirm whether their children have been successfully registered for the 2026 examinations.
The KNEC CEO, while addressing the OTP concerns in January 2026, further explained that the SMS platform will be accessible during the April school holidays, giving parents sufficient time to check the registration status and flag any discrepancies with schools before the examination process advances.
Nonetheless, Ogamba warned that school heads who enter incorrect student data will face disciplinary action by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).