A total of 1,313,913 learners in Grade 6 started their Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) on Monday throughout the country.
However unlike past national exams i.e KCPE, the government has scaled down police presence inside the schools.
In most schools not a single police officer could be seen inside the school compound only invigilators, supervisors, centre manager and a few authorized personnel.
Education cabinet secretary Julius Ogamba said the security officers will only escort the materials to schools but should not enter them.
He said this is in an attempt to create a relaxed environment for the learners.
He spoke when he opened the exam storage container in the Westlands sub-County in Nairobi.
After undertaking the assessment, the learners will progress automatically to Grade 7 (Junior School).
Unlike the phased-out Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), the assessment is not used for placement of the learner.
KPSEA is organised in two parts: formative and summative. The formative assessment is school-based and is weighted at 60 per cent in every learning area.
The learners have already completed this and were marked by their respective teachers who then submitted the marks to the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec).
The current assessment will be marked by Knec and will account for 40 per cent.
KPSEA is a final assessment in Primary Schools for Grade 6 learners before joining Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) at Grade 7.
KPSEA stands for Kenya Primary School Education Assessment.
The KPSEA candidates sit for five subject papers; Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Integrated Science and Social Studies and Creative Arts.
Integrated Science is one paper that combines Science and Technology, Agriculture, Home Science and Physical Health and Education.
Social Studies and Creative Arts is also one paper that combines Social Studies, Religious Studies (CRE/IRE/HRE), Art and Craft and Music.
The KPSEA assessment lacks creative writing i.e, English Composition and Kiswahili Insha which used to be done during KCPE.