KNEC announces Monday start for KPSEA, KJSEA exams

• According to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), a total of 1,298,089 Grade 6 learners will sit the KPSEA, while 1,130,669 Grade 9 learners will undertake the KJSEA.

KNEC announces Monday start for KPSEA, KJSEA exams

More than 2.4 million learners across the country are set to begin their Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) examinations on Monday, October 26, 2026.

According to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), a total of 1,298,089 Grade 6 learners will sit the KPSEA, while 1,130,669 Grade 9 learners will undertake the KJSEA.

The assessments, which will run for five days, are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

Rehearsals were conducted on Friday, October 23, during which learners were taken through examination procedures and guidelines to familiarise themselves with what will be expected of them.

KNEC has called on teachers, examination officials and candidates to uphold integrity and transparency throughout the assessment period.

The examinations mark another significant stage in Kenya's transition from the 8-4-4 education system to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which places greater emphasis on continuous assessment and practical competencies.

Under the CBC framework, learners are assessed at different stages of their education, with the results contributing to their overall academic progression.

Speaking last year, KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere expressed confidence in the country's preparedness to administer assessments under the new curriculum.

"In CBC, we have assessments administered in Grades 4, 7 and 8. Grade 9 already has 40 per cent. They are only looking for 60 per cent," Njengere said.

"We are confident that we are going to deliver a quality exam to the learners."

Unlike the previous 8-4-4 system, which relied heavily on national examinations at the end of primary and secondary school, the CBC assessment model incorporates school-based evaluations alongside national assessments.

The Grade 9 assessment is particularly significant as it forms part of the process used to determine learners' progression to senior school.

The commencement of the two assessments on Monday will see millions of learners across the country undertake another major milestone under Kenya's evolving education system.