The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has unveiled the scoring framework for students transitioning from Grade 6 to senior secondary school under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
This framework combines assessments from different stages of a learner’s academic journey to determine their final placement.
The assessments contributing to the final score include:
- Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA): Administered at the end of primary school to gauge readiness for junior secondary.
- School-Based Assessments (SBA): Conducted in Grades 7 and 8, consisting of practical and theoretical tasks such as projects and assignments.
- Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA): Taken in Grade 9 to evaluate preparedness for senior secondary school.
The weighting of these assessments is as follows:
- KPSEA: 20%
- SBA: 20%
- KJSEA: 60%
KNEC has clarified that placements into senior secondary school are determined by the formula, ensuring fairness and transparency.
What Options Do Learners Have?
The CBC introduces three main pathways for senior school, catering to students’ strengths and aspirations:
- Arts and Sports Science:
- Focus: Music, Theatre, Film, Fine Arts, Sports, and Physical Education.
- Accommodates 15% of learners nationwide.
- Social Sciences:
- Tracks: Humanities and Business Studies or Languages and Literature.
- Subjects include Kiswahili, Indigenous Languages, Business, History, and more.
- Approximately 25% of learners are expected to choose this path.
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics):
- Tracks: Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences, and Technical Studies.
- Projected to enroll the majority—60%—of learners.
- Subjects include Physics, Aviation, and Technical areas like Building and Construction.
These pathways are carefully designed to help learners excel based on their unique interests and future goals.
New Additions to the Curriculum
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) is expanding the Technical Studies track to incorporate global trends and localized needs. This includes the introduction of subjects such as:
- Marine and Fisheries Technologies
- Media Technology
The changes accommodate feedback from stakeholders, including parents and educators, and were refined by a technical working group commissioned by the President.
How Placement Will Work
Students will be placed in schools based on their chosen pathways:
- STEM learners will have priority placement in former national schools, which are equipped for advanced scientific and technical studies.
- Arts and Sports Science learners will primarily attend Extra County schools with specialized resources.
- Students in Social Sciences will be placed in county and sub-county schools.
This system ensures that schools are aligned with the resources and expertise required to support each learner’s development.
By 2026, the first cohort of CBC learners will transition into senior schools, marking a pivotal step in Kenya’s education reform. This shift is aimed at equipping learners for lifelong learning and career readiness.
As Kenya moves forward with CBC, the goal is to build a generation of adaptable and innovative individuals ready for the challenges of the future. Understanding this framework allows parents and students to confidently navigate the transition and embrace the opportunities ahead.
