A New Era in Kenyan Education

NAIROBI – Over 2.4 million learners across Kenya began their national assessments on Monday, October 27, 2025, in a landmark moment for the country's education sector. A total of 1,298,089 Grade 6 pupils are sitting for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), while 1,130,669 Grade 9 students are undertaking the inaugural Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA). This year's examination season is the largest in Kenya's history, with a combined total of 3,424,836 candidates when including the 996,078 students sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.

The commencement of the KJSEA is a pivotal step in the nationwide rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which is progressively replacing the 8-4-4 system. This assessment is the first of its kind and will be the primary tool for placing the pioneer CBC cohort into Senior School in January 2026. The results will determine which of the three specialized pathways—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Social Sciences; or Arts and Sports Science—students will pursue in Grades 10, 11, and 12.

Logistical and Security Overdrive

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and the Ministry of Education have implemented extensive logistical and security measures to ensure the integrity of the assessments. According to a statement from KNEC on Sunday, October 26, containers holding KPSEA and KJSEA examination materials are to be opened at 6:00 AM EAT, an hour earlier than the 7:00 AM opening time for the ongoing KCSE exams. To manage the vast operation, KNEC has engaged 342,687 contracted professionals, including centre managers, supervisors, invigilators, and security officers. Specifically for the KPSEA and KJSEA assessments, there are 24,213 centre managers, 26,479 supervisors, and 125,492 invigilators deployed nationwide.

In a bid to curb malpractice, the Ministry has declared all examination centres as restricted zones for unauthorized persons. Strict rules are in place, including a ban on mobile phones for all personnel within the centre, with devices required to be locked away by the supervisor. KNEC has also piloted the use of digital smart padlocks on 250 examination containers to enhance real-time monitoring and security. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba issued a stern warning against cheating, confirming that several arrests have already been made in connection with the circulation of fake exam papers online.

The Transition to Senior School

The 2025 KJSEA marks the final assessment stage for Junior School learners before they transition to Senior School. The placement process will be based on a combination of scores, including 60% from the KJSEA summative evaluation and 40% from school-based assessments conducted in Grades 7 and 8. This transition represents a fundamental shift from the old system, where placement was almost entirely dependent on a single high-stakes final exam.

The Ministry of Education has been preparing for this historic transition, with Education CS Ogamba assuring the public that the government is fully prepared. In June 2025, the ministry officially reclassified all secondary schools to align with the three CBC pathways, moving away from the traditional categories of national, extra-county, and county schools. The government has also affirmed its readiness to handle the 1.2 million learners, stating that there are 2.4 million available spaces in senior schools. However, concerns remain among some stakeholders regarding infrastructural readiness, teacher retooling for the specialized pathways, and the timely disbursement of funds.

The KPSEA exams are scheduled to run from October 27 to October 30, while the KJSEA will conclude on November 6. The entire national examination period, including the KCSE written papers, will end on November 21, 2025.