Summary of key policy changes under the revised syllabuses – with effect from 1 July 2021

The following Policy Changes were approved the Board in June 2021 to ensure a smooth roll-out of the revised syllabuses and enhance service delivery to kasneb students, training institutions and other stakeholders.

1. The credit retention rule has been revised. Credits will be retained for the candidate without withdrawal as long as the paper where credit has been earned or its equivalent remains in the syllabus.
2. The number of examination sittings has been revised upwards from two (2) sittings to three (3) sittings per year. The standard sittings will be in April, August and December. Before selecting their preferred sittings, candidates are advised to carefully assess their ability to prepare for the examinations based on number of papers to sit and available preparation period.
3. The Certificate in Accounting and Management Skills (CAMS) course will now be fully tuition based. Continuous assessment tests (CATs) will account for 15% of the total score in the final results. Students must attend tuition in an accredited institution or an institution which has already applied for accreditation kasneb. CAT marks will not be accepted from non-accredited institutions.
4. Students applying for exemptions may choose to either pay exemption fees for all the papers for which they have been exempted in the examination, or pay for the exempted papers under each level as they attempt the examination.
5. Persons with disability will be granted a 25% discount on registration fees provided they attach a copy of their membership card to the National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPWD) in Kenya or its equivalent in a foreign country where the candidate is based.
6. Certificate storage fees have been capped at Sh. 5,000.
7. Candidates will not be allowed to change examination centres without prior written approval from kasneb.
8. Other personal digital assistants including laptops, iPads, programmable watches and similar electronic gadgets have been banned from the examinations room in addition to mobile phones.
9. Examination fees will be payable per paper provided that:

(a) For vocational, certificate, diploma and post-professional specialization courses, candidates shall be required to book for all papers not passed in a module or level together including the first attempt.

(b) At professional level, candidates shall be required to book for at least three (3) papers in a level, except where the papers in the level, or those not passed are less than three (3). Students are however advised to select the number of papers to sit based on their assessment of ability to adequately prepare for the examinations.

10. Under-age candidates registering with birth certificates will be required to submit their national identification card/passport details within three months of receipt.
11. The entry requirements for the various qualifications are as follows:

(a) Vocational courses: KCSE certificate

(b) Certificate course (CAMS): KCSE D plain or a vocational certificate

(c) Diploma programmes: KCSE C- or CAMS certificate or any other certificate from a recognized institution.

(d) Professional courses: KCSE C+, kasneb Diploma programmes or any other diploma from a recognized institution.

(e) Post-professional specialization course: kasneb professional qualification, university degree or any other equivalent qualification.

12. Registration fees paid and applied to register the student will not be refunded. Registration fees may however be transferred to another kasneb qualification as per the existing policy provided the transfer is undertaken within thirty (30) days of initial registration.
13. Examination fees once paid are not refundable unless in cases of withdrawal as per existing policy. Examination fees may however be deferred as per the existing policy provisions.