A Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) examiner died on Monday, November 24, 2025, while participating in the ongoing marking exercise at Machakos Girls High School.
According to a statement by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC), the examiner, Nicodemus Mutua Mutuku, collapsed and passed away while on duty. Mutuku had been actively involved in the marking of the KJSEA exams, which officially kicked off on November 7, 2025.
Who Was the Examiner?
Mutuku served as a Team Leader for the Creative Arts and Sports Paper. He was a teacher at Nduluni Junior School in Makindu Sub-County, Makueni County.
He had also been a long-serving examiner with KNEC, previously marking the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations for many years before being transitioned to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system following the introduction of the KJSEA.
KJSEA 2025 Marking Exercise
The 2025 KJSEA marking exercise began shortly after candidates completed their exams on November 6, 2025. Thousands of teachers across the country were deployed to various marking centres, with Machakos Girls High School being one of the main hubs.
Mutuku’s death has left colleagues and members of the education sector in shock, with KNEC expected to provide additional details as investigations and formal procedures continue.
Education Sector in Mourning
The passing of the experienced examiner has sparked messages of condolence from teachers, examiners, and education stakeholders who recognised Mutuku’s long-standing contribution to Kenya’s national examinations.
His body has since been moved to the mortuary pending a post-mortem examination.
