Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) CEO Dr. David Njengere has clarified that repeating the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) will not improve a learner’s final score, unlike the former KCPE system where candidates often repeated the exam to achieve higher marks.
Dr. Njengere explained that the new system under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework relies on cumulative evaluations rather than a single high-stakes test. The final placement score combines national continuous assessments, classroom-based evaluations, and KPSEA results.
Placement into Senior Secondary School (Grade 10) will be based on three weighted components: the Grade 9 KJSEA assessment at 60 percent, school-based assessments from Grades 7 and 8 at 20 percent, and the Grade 6 KPSEA at 20 percent. Dr. Njengere emphasized that the CBC is designed to support learner progression, including those who perform below expectations, rather than having them repeat a grade or assessment.
He assured parents and learners that all 1,130,459 candidates who sat the 2025 KJSEA are guaranteed a place in Grade 10.
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Principal Secretary for Basic Education Dr. Belio Bitok reiterated that the government has prepared 1.5 million senior school slots, more than enough for the 1.1 million candidates.
Placement into senior schools will consider performance and learner interests, aligning students with pathways such as STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports. This approach aims to help learners specialise according to their strengths instead of repeating the same assessments.
KJSEA 2025 Grading System
The 2025 KJSEA uses an eight-level achievement scale, with points awarded based on the percentage score achieved.
Exceeding Expectations:
EE1 (Level 8): 90–100% = 8 points (Exceptional)
EE2 (Level 7): 75–89% = 7 points (Very Good)
Meeting Expectations:
ME1 (Level 6): 58–74% = 6 points (Good)
ME2 (Level 5): 41–57% = 5 points (Fair)
Approaching Expectations:
AE1 (Level 4): 31–40% = 4 points (Needs Improvement)
AE2 (Level 3): 21–30% = 3 points (Below Average)
Below Expectations:
BE1 (Level 2): 11–20% = 2 points (Well Below Average)
BE2 (Level 1): 1–10% = 1 point (Minimal)
The grading system, together with the cumulative assessment model, reinforces the CBC’s focus on holistic learning and continuous progress as learners transition to senior secondary education.
By Obegi Malack
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