Members of Parliament, (MPs) are calling on the Ministry of Education, (MoE) to urgently address the fate of more than 9,000 pupils who missed the final Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam in 2023, warning that the learners risk permanent exclusion from the education system as Kenya transitions to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Raising the matter in the National Assembly, Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi urged Parliament to ensure the affected pupils are given a pathway to continue their education.
“Many missed the exam due to unavoidable circumstances such as early pregnancies, illness, and family challenges. They deserve a second chance,” she said.
According to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), 9,354 candidates out of 1,406,557 registered failed to sit the KCPE exam. The 2023 cohort marked the final group under the 8-4-4 system, which has now been phased out in favor of CBC.
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Elachi expressed concern that without intervention, these pupils especially girls, could be permanently locked out of secondary education. She also warned that similar exclusions could occur during the final KCSE exam in 2027, the last under the 8-4-4 framework.
MPs are now demanding clarity from the Ministry on how KCPE qualifications will be converted under the new CBC framework to allow affected learners to transition to senior secondary school. They are also seeking assurances that no pupil will be left behind due to systemic changes.
The House is pushing for clear guidelines, including the possibility of special KCPE sittings, bridging assessments, or alternative pathways to reintegrate the learners. Lawmakers emphasized that the right to education is enshrined in the Constitution and must be upheld regardless of curriculum shifts.
The Ministry of Education is expected to brief Parliament on the same, its plan to accommodate the affected pupils and prevent similar exclusions during future CBC transitions.
By Masaki Enock
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