KNEC Releases Guidelines for Junior School Summative Assessments

KNEC Releases Guidelines for Junior School Summative Assessments.

The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has urged schools to access sample papers for the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and the Kenya Pre-Vocation Level Education Assessment (KPLEA) on its portal. This initiative aims to help schools prepare learners adequately, while also providing insights into the structure of the first-ever national summative assessment.

KJSEA will be the national summative assessment for regular learners following the age-based curriculum, whereas KPLEA will cater to Special Needs learners under the Stage-Based Curriculum within the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

Under this framework, KJSEA will determine learners’ interests and abilities for placement in Senior School (Grades 10–12), while KPLEA will assess their talents, abilities, and readiness for transition from the Pre-Vocational Level to the Vocational Level.

Structure and Format of KJSEA

KNEC has outlined the structure of KJSEA, confirming that the assessment will be conducted in October and November 2025. It will consist of 12 subjects, each assigned a new code: English (901), Kiswahili (902), Mathematics (903), Kenya Sign Language (904), Integrated Science (905), Agriculture (906), Social Studies (907), Christian Religious Education (908), Islamic Religious Education (909), Hindu Religious Education (910), Creative Arts and Sports (911), and Pre-Technical Studies (912).

The assessment will include various formats such as written assessments, short structured questions, essay questions, multiple-choice questions (MCQs), performance tasks, and practical assessments.

Grading Criteria for Grade 9 Learners

During the recently concluded County Dialogue Forums by the Ministry of Education, KNEC disclosed the grading structure for Grade 9 learners. Based on recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER), the Grade 9 assessment will comprise 20% Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), 20% School-Based Assessment (SBAs) for Grades 7 and 8, and 60% summative evaluation at Grade 9.

This shift required KNEC to expand its four-point grading system—Exceeding Expectation (EE), Meeting Expectation (ME), Approaching Expectation (AE), and Below Expectation (BE)—into an eight-level Achievement Levels (AL) system. The grading breakdown includes:

• AL 8 (90–99 marks) – 8 points
• AL 7 (75–89 marks) – 7 points
• AL 6 (58–74 marks) – 6 points
• AL 5 (41–57 marks) – 5 points
• AL 4 (31–40 marks) – 4 points
• AL 3 (21–30 marks) – 3 points
• AL 2 (11–20 marks) – 2 points
• AL 1 (1–10 marks) – 1 point

Examination Timetable

KNEC has released the official timetable for both KJSEA and KPLEA, with the summative assessments set to begin in late October 2025. According to the timetable for Grade 9 learners under the age-based curriculum, the Creative Arts and Sports Project (911/1) will run from May to July 2025, while the Pre-Technical Studies Project (912/2) will take place in July 2025.

The main assessments will span eight days, commencing with a rehearsal on October 24, 2025, followed by the written exams from October 27 to November 5, 2025. The duration of the exams will range from a minimum of 1 hour 30 minutes to over 2 hours per paper.

The schedule includes:

• October 27, 2025: English (901/1) and English Composition & Literary Analysis (901/2)
• October 28, 2025: Mathematics (903) and Agriculture & Nutrition (Practical Planning Session) (906/2)
• October 29, 2025: Kiswahili Lugha (902/1) or Kenya Sign Language (904/1), and Kiswahili Insha na Utangulizi wa Fasihi (902/2) or KSL (904/2)
• October 30, 2025: Integrated Science (905/1) and Pre-Technical Studies (912/1)
• October 31, 2025: Integrated Science Practical (905/2)
• November 3, 2025: Agriculture and Nutrition (906/1) and Creative Arts and Sports (911/2)
• November 4, 2025: Social Studies (907) and Religious Education (Christian – 908, Islamic – 909, Hindu – 910)
• November 5, 2025: Agriculture and Nutrition Practical (906/2)

KPLEA for Special Needs Learners

For learners with severe cerebral palsy, autism, deaf-blindness, and multiple disabilities who follow the Stage-Based Pathway at the Pre-Vocational Level, KPLEA will include five performance-based assessment papers. These assessments will consist of:

1. Assessment tasks
2. Scoring guides for each task
3. A tool for assessing a core competency or value
4. A scoring guide for the core competency/value
5. Individual Learner’s Report Sheet and School Summary Assessment Score Sheet

The Integrated Learning Assessment (ILA) for Pre-Vocational Skills (Paper 5) will take place in July 2025. Unlike regular learners who follow the age-based curriculum, these learners will complete their assessments over a full day, with rehearsals held on the same day as their exams.

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Their assessment schedule is as follows:

• October 27, 2025: Pre-Vocational Skills Paper 1 (Picture Making, Paper Craft, Pattern Making, Garment Making, Communication, and Functional Literacy Skills)
• October 28, 2025: Pre-Vocational Skills Paper 2 (Woodwork, Sculpture, Jewelry and Ornament Making, Physical Education, Music, and Movement)
• October 29, 2025: Pre-Vocational Skills Paper 3 (Concrete Work, Leather Craft, Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy, and Social Studies)
• October 30, 2025: Pre-Vocational Skills Paper 4 (Home Care, Farming Skills, Weaving, Daily Living Skills and Nutrition, and Religious Education)

These assessments aim to ensure that all learners, including those with special needs, receive the appropriate evaluations and placements to support their educational and vocational growth.

KNEC Releases Guidelines for Junior School Summative Assessments.

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