The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) on Wednesday, April 24, announced that select schools will offer exams for Grade 9 pupils in June 2024.
Speaking during the Inaugural Annual Symposium on Competency-Based Assessment at the College of Insurance in Nairobi's South C, it was explained that the exams were part of preparations for summative assessment at Grade 9.
KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere stated that the council was developing tools for a pilot to be conducted in sampled schools in June.
“By October, we will issue sample papers to inform every learner at Junior School of how they will be assessed at Grade 9,” Njengere stated.
Njengere informed education stakeholders who had convened to discuss areas of common interest and chart the way forward concerning the implementation of CBC.
The CEO revealed that the assessment for Grade 9 pupils was informed by a 2012 task force that recommended KNEC change its identity.
This entailed transitioning to an assessment council to transform from one-off, terminal exams to nurturing every learner's potential through continuous assessments.
As such, students will no longer be sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Primary and Secondary exams.
KNEC did not reveal which schools will be used to pilot the inaugural Grade 9 national assessment test.
After the national exams, Grade 9 students will proceed to senior school for their Grade 10,11 and 12 studies.
In senior school, the students will now be at liberty to select their career path from categories such as Arts & Sports Sciences, Social Sciences, or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Upon completion of Grade 12 studies, students will now be eligible to join colleges and universities of their choice.
