Donna Machayo faces first exam season test as Siaya West SCDE 

As learners across Siaya West sit their national assessments and examinations, the sub-county’s top education official faces a test of her own.

Donna Machayo was posted as Siaya West’s first Sub-County Director of Education (SCDE) in July 2026. While her arrival took place largely away from the public spotlight, the exam season is bringing her office into a much more visible role.

The SCDE is responsible for coordinating the administration of national examinations in the sub-county. KNEC guidelines assign the office responsibilities that include receiving exam materials, coordinating their distribution to exam centres, and ensuring secure handling of the materials.

The 2026 KPSEA and KJSEA are scheduled to run from October 26 to October 30, while the KCSE exam period extends into November.

For Machayo, the 2026 exam season provides the first major test of her office’s ability to coordinate the exercise across Siaya West, a newly established sub-county whose administrative machinery is just taking shape. The sub-county has about 17 senior schools and more than 30 junior and primary schools.

Machayo’s actions will help determine how smoothly Siaya West’s new education office operates under the pressure of the national examination season. The Siaya West education boss made one of her first known public appearances during the 2026 Mashujaa Day celebrations held in Usonga on Tuesday, October 20.