For decades, the release of national examination results in Kenya followed a predictable, chaotic script: song and dance in the streets, students hoisted shoulder-high, and a national obsession with who scored the elusive "400 marks." Today, as the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) releases the inaugural Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) results, the streets are quieter. The ranking lists are gone. The marks are missing. And for the first time in our history, a candidate’s future is not defined by a single number, but by a profile of their potential.

This morning, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba released the results for over 1.1 million Grade 9 learners, marking the end of the Junior Secondary School (JSS) cycle. But parents logging into the KNEC portal or sending SMS queries will not find a total score out of 500. Instead, they are meeting the new language of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC): Exceeding Expectations, Meeting Expectations, Approaching Expectations, and Below Expectations.

The Death of "Exam Fever"

The shift is deliberate and drastic. Under the old 8-4-4 system, the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) was a high-stakes "do or die" event. The KJSEA, however, is designed to be a transition point, not a filter. "We are moving away from a system that condemns children as failures at a young age," CS Ogamba emphasized during the release at Mtihani House. "This assessment is about identifying talent, not ranking schools."

For the Kenyan parent, this adjustment is jarring. There are no certificates being issued today—only result slips (performance transcripts). These transcripts detail a learner's competency levels across the 12 core learning areas, from Mathematics to Pre-Technical Studies. The goal is to kill the "exam fever" that fueled cheating and rote memorization, replacing it with a holistic view of what a child can actually do.

The 60-20-20 Formula Explained

While the "total marks" are gone from the public eye, a rigorous calculation is happening behind the scenes to determine Senior School placement. Your child's placement into Grade 10 is not based solely on the exams they sat for in October. It is a cumulative score derived from three distinct sources:

• 60%: The KJSEA summative assessment (the exams just released).
• 20%: School-Based Assessments (SBA) accumulated during Grade 7 and 8.
• 20%: The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) score from Grade 6.

This "weighted mean" approach ensures that a student's consistency over three years counts as much as their final performance. To refine placement further, KNEC has employed an 8-level point system (from EE1 for exceptional performance to BE2 for minimal achievement). This granular data allows the ministry to place students into schools that match their specific academic strengths, rather than just their ability to pass a test.

Three Pathways, One Future

The most critical aspect of today's results is not the grade, but the Pathway. Unlike the generic "Form One" admission of the past, Grade 10 learners will be placed into one of three specialized tracks based on their performance profile:

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics): For learners showing high proficiency in sciences and technical subjects.
• Social Sciences: For those excelling in languages, humanities, and religious education.
• Arts and Sports Science: For learners with demonstrated talent in creative arts, athletics, or performance.

This specialization is the heart of the CBC vision. A student who "Approaches Expectations" in Mathematics but "Exceeds Expectations" in Creative Arts will no longer be forced into a science-heavy curriculum that stifles their talent. They will be guided toward a school equipped to nurture their specific gifts.

What Next for Parents?

Placement results are expected within the week, with learners set to report to Senior School on January 12, 2026. Parents can check their child's specific results by sending the learner's assessment number to the SMS code 22263 (Cost: KES 30). The portal selection.education.go.ke is also open for verifying school choices.

As the dust settles on this historic day, the message from the Ministry is clear: the era of judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree is over. "Do not look for a mark," KNEC CEO Dr. David Njengere advised parents. "Look for your child's strength. That is where their future lies."