KNEC Pilots Grade 9 Assessment: All You Need to Know
Between 15 and 19 July 2024, the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) will pilot the Grade 9 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
This trial involves 5,875 learners currently in Grade 8 across 235 schools.
The objective is to evaluate the readiness of both students and the education system for the complete implementation of the KJSEA and to prepare for the comprehensive assessment in 2025, which will signal the transition of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to senior high school.
KNEC CEO David Njengere stated that the pilot aims to test the feasibility of the national assessment, validate the testing instruments, and verify the procedures.
He emphasized that both formative and summative assessment outcomes will contribute to the final reporting at the end of Grade 9, which is crucial for placement in Senior School for learners on the Age-Based pathway and for transition to the Vocational Level for those on the Stage-Based pathway.
Assessment Structure
In the new system, the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) will replace the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations. The assessment will be calculated as follows:
- 20% from the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment at the end of Grade Six
- 20% from school-based assessments in Grades Seven and Eight
- 60% from the Grade Nine summative assessment
Evaluation Criteria
The Grade 9 Summative Assessment will evaluate the following:
- Appropriateness of specification tables for each subject
- Validity, reliability, and effectiveness of test items/tasks
- Competency levels of learners
- Procedures for administering the summative assessment
- Readiness for e-assessment in Junior schools
- Appropriateness of time allocation for the assessment
- Impact of using various test item formats
Njengere also highlighted that KNEC will determine the reliability of scoring procedures, the suitability of grading criteria, and the most appropriate styles for reporting assessment results. These insights will inform the national rollout of the KJSEA at Grade 9.
Pilot Implementation
The summative assessment papers, which will replace examination papers, will be distributed to five schools in each of the 47 counties, totaling 235 schools. These papers will serve as samples for candidates preparing for the 2025 Junior School Summative Assessments. The target population includes all Grade 8 learners, with a total of 5,875 participants. Out of these, 5,125 follow the regular curriculum, while 750 have special needs.
- Mode of Administration:
- 30 schools will adopt e-assessment format
- 205 schools will use pen and paper tests
- 30 special needs schools, with representation from categories such as visual impairments, hearing impairments, and physical disabilities, have been purposively sampled
Each participating school will have 25 randomly selected learners, and the pilot program will involve 150 students from the 30 sampled schools. Performance-based tasks will be used in these schools.
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During the pilot, KNEC officers will supervise, while one teacher from each school will be appointed as an assessor. This setup is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of students and ensure their readiness for the transition.
Conclusion
The pilot program is a significant step towards refining the assessment process and ensuring that the tools and procedures are effective and reliable. The insights gained will be crucial for the full implementation of the KJSEA and the transition of the CBC to senior high school in 2025.
KNEC Pilots Grade 9 Assessment: Evaluation Criteria & Assessment Structure
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