KNEC releases KPSEA results, urges schools to address gaps
Education
By
Lewis Nyaundi
| Jan 20, 2024
The 1.2 million learners who transitioned from primary to junior secondary school under the Competency-Based Curriculum can now access the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) scores.
Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) chief executive David Njengere said the assessment results had been released and called on parents and schools to use the feedback to address identified learning gaps.
He also indicated that the schools can access the results through the KNEC portal.
The assessment replaced the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) conducted under the 8-4-4 education system which was written for the last time last year.
This will be the second time KPSEA has been administered and the candidates are the second lot of students to join junior secondary school.
Unlike KCPE, the assessment will not be used to decide where the students will join secondary school as the learners are required to join junior school in the same institutions they attended primary school.
This has ultimately put an end to the ranking of learners and cutthroat competition to enter revered secondary schools.
Instead, Njengere said while releasing the 2023 KCPE results, the examination will allow parents time to know the progress made by the student.
This followed recommendations by the presidential working party on education reforms that proposed a review to restructure KPSEA for the purpose of monitoring learners' progress and providing feedback to stakeholders rather than placement.
"I encourage parents and schools to use the KPSEA results to monitor the learners' progress and address the learning gaps that have been identified," Njengere said.
The students joining Grade 7 reported to their respective institutions on Monday.
Unlike KCPE, the assessment will not be used to determine where the learner will join junior secondary school.
In 2023, 1,282,574 learners sat for their KEPSEA; they were tested in five subjects, including Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Integrated Science, Social Studies and Creative Arts.
The results for individual learners and specific schools can be accessed by head teachers who have logins to the KNEC Competency-Based Assessment portal.
However, the assessment results will now be used to form part of the final score for learners at the end of junior school in Grade 9.
Under KPSEA, 60 per cent of the total score is derived from the school-based assessment; this means the examinations are independently conducted in school at the end of Grades 4, 5 and 6.
The remaining 40 per cent is from the KPSEA sit-in national assessment that is done just like KCPE at the end of Grade 6.
At Grade 9, to comprise 20 per cent of KPSEA, 20 per cent of school-based assessment in Grades 7 and 8 and 60 per cent of summative evaluation at Grade 9.