KJSEA call on, what next

Joseph Muraya, Chief Executive Officer of Central Careers and Kenya Private Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Rose Okaya-Eteye. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

With three weeks left before Kenya’s first cohort of learners moves to Grade 10 under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system, education stakeholders are questioning whether the government is ready to manage the shift.

The transition follows the release last week of the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) results, the first national assessment taken after learners selected career pathways under the new system.

Learners are expected to join senior school on January 12.

Joseph Muraya, Chief Executive Officer of Central Careers, said uncertainty is growing among parents, learners and teachers as placement into Grade 10 begins.

“This is the first time Kenya is doing this kind of transition. Questions are bound to arise on how it will come together and whether the ministry is ready to manage pathway placement fairly and scientifically,” Muraya observed.

Under CBE, Grade 9 learners selected pathways and subject combinations based on interests, strengths and abilities.

Muraya warned that the process risks losing credibility if final placements override those choices.

“If the ministry is going to decide pathways anyway, then why did we waste an entire term having learners pick their preferred pathways?” he questioned.

Stakeholders also raised concern over the absence of psychometric assessments meant to guide learners’ career decisions alongside academic performance.

Muraya explained that while some private schools conducted the tests, most public schools did not.

“Parents were waiting for a scientific psychometric assessment to confirm interests and abilities. In most public schools, it never happened,” he noted, warning that learners could be pushed into unsuitable pathways.

Kenya Private Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Rose Okaya-Eteye said private institutions are largely prepared for the transition after years of planning.

“Facilities are in place and we did not start preparing today. We began preparing way back, ensuring infrastructure, pedagogy and career guidance systems are ready,” Okaya-Eteye said.

She urged Kenyans to view the rollout as a national responsibility rather than placing blame on learners or teachers.

“These results should define where we are as a nation and how our education system compares globally. It is not just about what the learner did or didn’t do,” she explained.

Okaya-Eteye acknowledged gaps across the system, including shortages of trained teachers in some senior school pathways and confusion over subject combinations, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“Many parents think STEM only leads to careers like medicine or engineering, yet it has over 300 subject combinations leading to different careers,” she noted.

The Ministry of Education has indicated that learners will have up to one term in senior school to review and revise their pathway choices. Stakeholders said the window will only work if supported by trained career guidance staff and clear communication with parents.

“All is not lost. If guided revisions are done properly in the first term, we can still make this transition a success,” Okaya-Eteye said.