Last year was one with major changes in basic education. As we begin this year, what stands out for you?
It has been a year of change, challenge and significant milestones. We have implemented the first national assessment under Competency-Based Education, overseen the pioneer transition to senior school, and managed reforms touching curriculum, assessment, infrastructure and financing.
The new grading system under KJSEA. How effective is it?
First, there is no contradiction or disadvantage in the new grading system. The challenge is that many of us are used to KCPE, and we are trying to interpret KJSEA using the old KCPE mindset. KJSEA is a totally new curriculum and a totally new method of assessment.
Under CBE, the focus is not examinations for ranking purposes. The focus is on competencies, talents and capabilities of a learner. That is why the grading is not A, B, C or D. It is qualitative and quantitative.
For example, the top category is Exceeding Expectation, EE1, which carries eight points. EE2 carries seven points. Then we have Meeting Expectation (ME1, ME2), followed by Approaching Expectation and Below Expectation. These are descriptions, not grades in the traditional sense. EE simply means excellent or outstanding performance, not an “E” as parents knew it before.
That confusion is widespread. What is the ministry doing to sensitise parents and teachers so that learners are not misunderstood or misjudged?
We expected questions because this is a new system. Through the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), we have issued frequently asked questions to explain the grading. Unfortunately, misinformation has circulated on social media, with claims that children have “failed” because they got an “E”. That is misleading.
As a ministry, we are explaining that assessment now focuses on identifying strengths, whether a learner is inclined towards STEM, Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports. The objective is to guide learners into pathways aligned with their abilities, not to label them as failures.
You personally oversaw the first national assessment under CBE. What was that experience like?
For me, coming to the Ministry of Education was coming back home. I am a teacher by training. I supervised examinations on the ground opening containers early in the morning, distributing papers, visiting marking centres. This was the first KJSEA class, the first-born of CBE. It was exciting and fulfilling.
Of course, there were challenges: attempts to compromise examinations, coordination with security and ICT agencies, misinformation on social media, and logistical delays in some areas. But overall, we delivered a credible 2025 assessment for KPSEA, KJSEA and KCSE.
Placement into senior schools has sparked anger, with parents protesting what they term as wrong or distant placements. What went wrong?
Nothing fundamentally went wrong. What we experienced were teething problems of a new system. Out of 1.13 million learners, about 100,000 requested revision of either pathways or schools. That is less than 10 per cent.
The placement system is digital and can only be accessed by Heads of Institutions and ICT coordinators. On the first day, the system experienced slowdowns due to overwhelming traffic and a technical breakdown at the Konza control station. By 4pm on Tuesday, we had already processed over 2,000 revision requests across all clusters.
How is the revision process being managed?
We have devolved the process. Cluster 1 revisions are handled at headquarters, Cluster 2 by regional directors, Cluster 3 by county directors, and Cluster 4 by sub-county directors. All learners will be given an opportunity to revise their choices without discrimination.
We opened a seven-day window. Parents should use this time. There is no need to travel to senior schools. Head teachers of junior secondary schools have system access and are just a phone call away. Over 20,000 JSS heads, 400 sub-county directors, 47 county directors, eight regional directors and ministry teams are working around the clock. Many have sacrificed the festive season for this national exercise.
Some parents say the system worked for many learners, while others were left out. How do you respond?
That is accurate. The system worked for the majority. We have parents saying their children were placed in schools and pathways of their choice. The placement uses an automated national resource distribution formula, not just marks. It considers pathways selected in Grade 9, school capacity and equity.
Under CBE, learners choose both schools and pathways: STEM, Social Sciences, or Arts and Sports, before assessment. Placement also draws from KPSEA, continuous assessment in Grades 7 and 8, and KJSEA in Grade 9. That gives a holistic picture of a learner.
Funding remains a major concern. School heads complain of delayed and inadequate capitation. Why does this persist?
Let me be very clear: The government’s policy on free primary and free day secondary education is intact. It has not changed. However, there have been occasional delays, especially in the third term, due to a nationwide school data verification exercise.
The government released capitation for the first time before schools opened, what has been hindering this to happen before?
This was prompted by a special audit by the Auditor-General and a directive from Parliament. We had to verify learner numbers to ensure accuracy. All schools have since received funds, and going forward, the Kenya Education Management System, KEMIS, will ensure accurate, real-time data.
How will KEMIS avoid the problems experienced under NEMIS?
KEMIS is a recommendation of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms. Unlike NEMIS, KEMIS is intelligent, integrated and agile. It will cover basic education, higher education, TVETs, KNEC and TSC, a one-stop solution. It will address issues of identity, capitation, examination integrity and fake certificates. It is a game-changer.
Critics argue that CBC is deepening inequality, especially between rural and urban learners. Is CBE living up to its promise?
CBE is actually designed to create equity. Yes, disparities exist, that is a fact. But under CBE, we scrapped the old obsession with national and extra-county schools. Schools are now clustered based on capacity and pathways offered.
This year, we adopted the CRA formula to guide placement, factoring in population, geography and poverty index. A learner from northern Kenya now has a fairer chance to access quality education anywhere in the country. CBE is the best system Kenya could have adopted to transform the nation.
What message do you have for anxious parents and learners?
Be patient. This is a pioneer transition. We acknowledge the frustrations, but the system has not failed. We are committed to ensuring no learner is locked out of education. Use the seven-day window, work with your school heads, and trust that every learner’s interest will be addressed.
Competency-Based Education requires vision, investment and time.
Infrastructure remains a challenge. What is being done?
The government is investing heavily. We are building 1,600 laboratories and 23,000 classrooms. We are expanding capacity so that all schools can offer quality pathways. Over time, the attachment to so-called “big schools” will fade.