Knec prepares teachers ahead of Grade 9 assessment

Kenya National Examinations Council CEO David Njengere (Center) hands over KCSE examination papers to Machakos School Principal, Benson Manoo (left) moments after opening the examination container in Machakos. [Erastus Mulwa, Standard]

A team of selected teachers is brainstorming on challenges of Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) ahead of Grade 9 evaluation next year.

The teachers were picked from 235 schools that participated in KJSEA pilot programme last year. Other than deliberating on the challenges, the two-day event that begun yesterday aims to align the tutors with the new national assessment formula.

Organised by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), the seminar will gather feedback from teachers, school heads, and students with a learner questionnaire being used to gauge academic preferences and personality traits.

“The feedback from teachers and headteachers will be crucial in shaping the final assessment model. It will help us understand the environmental and school-based factors that impact students’ performance,” said Anne Ngatia, KNEC’s director of Research and Innovation. 

The KJSEA will play a significant role in shaping students’ future career paths. Upon Grade 9 also known as Junior Secondary School, students will progress to Senior Secondary School (SSS), where they will select their career pathways.

The outcomes of both the formative (school-based) and summative (KJSEA) assessments will be used to report on students’ progress and help guide their selection of appropriate pathways in SSS.

“This assessment is an essential tool for identifying each learner’s potential and guiding them toward a path that suits their interests and skills,” explained Ngatia. 

In addition to refining the assessment itself, KNEC will conduct a study to understand students’ interests and preferences, which will inform career pathway decisions as students enter senior secondary.

This move is part of the broader goal to ensure that the education system is more aligned with learners’ strengths, skills, talents, and aspirations.

The KJSEA, which will replace the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) is designed to offer a more comprehensive evaluation of students’ academic abilities. 

According to KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere, the new system will be key to guiding students’ placement in senior secondary schools while assessing their readiness for further studies.

“The strategy is to move away from high-stakes exams and focus on how students have acquired competencies. We want a system that evaluates their learning progress holistically,” stated Njengere. 

The pilot programme, which was held in July 2024, involved 5,875 students from 235 schools across Kenya. Learners were tested in nine subjects among them English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, Integrated Science, and Pre-Technical Studies.  “We are using data from the pilot programme to improve the KJSEA to ensure that the final rollout next year will be smooth,” Njengere assured. 

The programme also saw the introduction of separate assessments for students with special needs. Those with severe disabilities will sit for Kenya Prevocational Learning Education Assessment (KPLEA), which focuses on practical life skills rather than traditional academic subjects.