End of a Four-Decade-Old KCPE Era as Primary Schools Prepares for KPSEA Transition

End of a Four-Decade-Old KCPE Era as Primary Schools Prepares for KPSEA Transition.

In just about a month, Kenya will bid farewell to the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examination (KCPE), which has been in place for nearly four decades.

The new Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) will take its place, with 1,303,913 Grade Six candidates set to sit for the new assessment, replacing the traditional primary school exit exam.

Unlike the highly competitive KCPE, which led to intense competition for secondary school placements, KPSEA is designed to monitor learners’ progress as they transition to junior secondary school. The shift aims to create a less stressful academic environment.

The KPSEA assessment, set to be administered across 35,573 centres, marks the end of KCPE, which concluded last year.

Although this is the third time KPSEA is being administered, it will be the first time it is conducted as the sole primary school exit exam. Previously, KPSEA was held alongside KCPE as part of the transition from the 8-4-4 system to the 2-6-6-3 system.

Relaxed Assessment Environment

For the first time in 39 years, primary school candidates will not sit for KCPE. The KPSEA assessment will be conducted in a more relaxed environment compared to the high-pressure KCPE examinations.

Unlike KCPE, which required the presence of armed police officers due to the risks of cheating and other malpractices, KPSEA does not demand such measures.

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The deployment of armed officers was a response to the high stakes associated with both KCPE and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, where candidates strived to attain top grades.

However, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced that there would be no security officers manning the schools during KPSEA exams. Instead, security officers will only be involved in transporting examination materials to and from schools.

Policy Changes in Examination Supervision

Ogamba emphasized that the absence of security personnel in exam centres aligns with the Competency-Based Curriculum’s (CBC) goal of reducing the intense competition associated with national exams.

Additionally, the release of KPSEA results will not be accompanied by the usual media coverage and fanfare, further reducing pressure on students.

Another significant change is the abolition of external invigilators and supervisors, who will now be replaced by classroom teachers.

According to Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Chief Executive David Njengere, this shift aims to provide a more personalized and supportive learning environment.

He explained that KPSEA focuses on assessing students’ progress and providing constructive feedback to both learners and teachers, fostering a less stressful academic experience.

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This year, 965,501 candidates will sit for the KCSE exam in 10,755 centres, while a total of 2,279,414 candidates will be tested across both KPSEA and KCSE.

The administration of KCSE will involve 103,125 field officers, while KPSEA will require 143,026 officers to ensure smooth operations during the assessments.

End of a Four-Decade-Old KCPE Era as Primary Schools Prepares for KPSEA Transition.

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