The Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) has relased when schools should start registering learners for this years national assessments and exams.
According to Knec Grade 6 learners will sit for final assessment in October this year also known as Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA).
The registration of the KPSEA candidates will start on 27th January 2025. Schools will enter the Knec CBA Portal to register learners and print the nominal roll.
Knec will also register Grade 9 learners for their final assessment in junior school.
The assessment also known as Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) will start in October and end in November this year.
The registration of KJSEA candidates will start on 17th February 2025. Schools will enter the Knec CBA Portal to register learners and print the nominal roll.
The registration of Form 4 learners who will sit for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) will start on 17th February 2025.
Knec already released sample KJSEA papers after carrying out piloting of the assessment in 235 schools.
The first Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) cohorts will sit for the assessment this year which will determine the senior school they will join in January next year.
Knec has outlined how learners score will count in primary and junior secondary before their transition to senior secondary.
According to KNEC the learners will have School Based Assessments (SBA) which will contribute 20% of the total score.
The school based assessments will be done in Grade 7 and 8 and will make a total of 20%.
School based assessments are done each year in term two and term three. In term two the SBA comprise of projects and practicals while in term three SBA comprise of theory.
In primary school learners will sit for their final assessment in Grade 6 called KPSEA before transitioning to junior secondary.
KPSEA will account for 20% of the total score. After KPSEA learners will join junior secondary at Grade 7.
In junior secondary learners will sit for their final assessment in Grade 9 called KJSEA.
KJSEA will account for 60% of the total score. KNEC will use the 20% SBA score, 20% KPSEA score and 60% KJSEA score for placement of learners in senior secondary.
Placement in senior schools also known as senior secondary schools will be based on pathways.
Come 2026, first CBC Cohorts will transition to senior school for a three-year study period that will cover Grade 10, 11 and 12.
At this stage, there will be three core learning areas that will determine learners’ career paths.
These are Arts and Sports Science, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The first core learning area has two tracks – Arts and Sports Science.
Under Arts, leaners will study Music and Dance, Theatre and Film and Fine Arts.
Under Sports Science, there is Sports and Recreation and Physical Education.
The first core learning area will accommodate only 15 per cent of all the learners nationwide.
The second core learning area (Social Science) will accommodate 25 per cent of all learners.
It has two tracks – Languages and Literature and Humanities & Business Studies.
Subjects under Languages and Literature are Literature in English, Indigenous Languages, Kiswahili/Kenya Sign Language, Fasihi ya Kiswahili, Arabic, French, Germany and Mandarin/Chinese.
Humanities and Business Studies include Christian Religious Education; Islamic Religious Education; Hindu Religious Education; History and Citizenship; Geography and Business studies.
The third core learning area (STEM) will accommodate 60 per cent of all learners and has three tracks -Pure Science, Applied Science and Technical studies.
Under Pure Science, learners will study Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and general Science.
Applied Science has Agriculture, Computer Science and Home Science.
Technical Studies has Aviation; Building and Construction, Electricity, Metal Work; Power Mechanics and Wood Work.
The latest communication from the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development indicates that Media Technology and Marine and Fisheries Technologies will also be part of the technical areas of studies that will be developed later.
The breakdown is the latest following a review by a technical working group appointed by the President to address concerns raised by parents and other emerging issues.
Regarding the placement of learners to Senior schools upon completion of Junior school in Grade 9, the Ministry of education said students that will undertake STEM subjects will all be absorbed in the former national schools.
Extra County schools will offer Creative Arts and Sports while Humanities will be offered across all county and subcounty schools.