Telegram’s restriction in Kenya’s KCSE exams has sparked widespread debate as the global watchdog NetBlocks verifies the government’s move to throttle the messaging app amid the high-stakes national tests. Safaricom has reportedly blocked access to Telegram Messenger in Kenya, leaving millions of users confused and disconnected from one of their main communication apps. Many Kenyans say the platform stopped working without warning.
Starting Monday, November 3, 2025, access to Telegram dipped sharply during peak exam hours, a targeted curb aimed at stamping out leaks and online cheating rings that have plagued past cycles.
With over 900,000 Form 4 students scribbling answers across 10,000 centres, authorities see this as a necessary shield for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education’s integrity, though critics decry it as an overreach on digital rights.
NetBlocks, the London-based internet observatory, flagged the disruption in real-time metrics just hours into the school week.
“Confirmed: Metrics show that messaging app Telegram has been restricted in Kenya as KCSE school exams are held,” the group posted on X, noting a familiar playbook from 2023 and 2024.
The blackout hits hardest between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., syncing with morning and afternoon papers like Kiswahili and Mathematics.
Implemented by the Communications Authority of Kenya through major carriers such as Safaricom, Airtel, and Telkom, the filter blocks direct app access while sparing broader internet flows.
Users report workarounds via VPNs proving spotty, with one Nairobi teen venting on X: “Trying to study group notes, but Telegram’s ghosting us. Exam stress level: expert.”
This marks the third straight year of such clamps, evolving from full-day shutdowns to surgical strikes. Back in November 2023, a blanket Telegram ban drew flak for collateral damage to remote learning and business chats, prompting tweaks for 2024’s more precise timing.
The Education Cabinet Secretary defended the 2025 rollout at a Mombasa briefing last week, tying it to rising malpractice probes.
“Telegram channels have become hubs for selling papers at Sh500 a pop; we won’t let syndicates rob our youth of fair shots,” he said, citing KNEC data on 150 leak alerts since the October 28 kickoff.
The exams, running through November 21, test everything from sciences to humanities, determining university slots and life paths for a generation shaped by post-COVID disruptions.
On the ground, the ripple effects stir mixed bags. In rural hubs like Kitui and Kisii, invigilators praise the quiet, with one Embu teacher noting fewer whispers of “leaked chemistry” floating around.
Urban spots tell a different tale: tech-savvy pupils in Nairobi’s Eastlands pivot to WhatsApp or Signal, but not without glitches that spike data costs. Parents, juggling work and supervision, gripe about fractured family updates.
“My daughter’s acing mocks, but now I can’t check in without her smuggling notes the old way,” shared a Thika mum on a local Facebook group, where frustration threads hit 200 comments overnight.
Rights advocates aren’t mincing words. The Kenya Human Rights Commission labelled the restriction “disproportionate”, arguing it punishes the platform’s 500 million users for a few bad actors. “Blanket bans erode trust in institutions meant to foster learning, not control,” KHRC’s executive director told reporters.
