KNEC exam registrations record high
More than 3.5 million applicants have registered for this year’s national examinations, which include the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Dr. Belio Kipsang, the Basic Education Principal Secretary, stated that the KCSE will have fewer than one million candidates, the KCPE will have roughly 1.4 million candidates, and the KPSEA would have approximately 1.2 million candidates. Notably, according to KCPE data analysis, some adults have registered as private candidates.
The Ministry of Education is revamping the grading system to emphasize students’ competences, skills, and knowledge, as recommended by the Presidential Working Group on Education Reforms (PWPER). This new approach will decouple placement from testing, benefiting upcoming candidates, and will affect five cohorts under the previous 8-4-4 scheme.
Dr. Kipsang stressed that this year’s KCPE marks the final part of the primary level’s transition to competency-based education, with learners being assessed based on their acquired knowledge, skills, competences, values, and attitudes.
Numeracy (mathematics) and literacy (Kiswahili or English) would be prioritized for certification under the new system, with evaluation in seven subject areas. Students are encouraged to thrive in a variety of topics, including two sciences, one humanities, numeracy, reading, and other areas of study that are relevant to them.
The PS also addressed concerns regarding lower rates of transition to university education in comparison to neighboring nations, underlining the necessity of pupils mastering a variety of courses.
Concerning probable El Nio rain disruptions, the administration has taken steps to ensure a smooth examination process, including identifying flood-prone locations and organizing resources like as military helicopters.
