The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has issued a public alert regarding the circulation of fraudulent analyses concerning the Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA). In a statement released via social media, the examinations body cautioned educational institutions against disseminating misleading information that purports to rank learners or schools based on aggregate scores.
The council specifically addressed images circulating online that depict detailed grading sheets with total points, mean scores, and average grades for Grade 9 assessments. KNEC labeled these documents as fake, clarifying that such analysis contradicts the fundamental structure of the current education framework. According to the statement, the KJSEA does not utilize aggregate scores, a significant departure from the ranking systems used in previous educational models.
KNEC explained that the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) prioritizes the nurturing of individual potential over the comparative ranking of learners. Under this system, each subject is assessed independently. Consequently, student achievements are reported through specific performance levels rather than cumulative totals. The council noted that this methodology is intended to ensure that a student’s proficiency in one area is not obscured by lower performance in another.
The statement concluded by reiterating that school mean scores, which were a staple of the former 8-4-4 system, do not exist within the KJSEA framework. The council urged the public to disregard any analysis that suggests otherwise.
The Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) is a key evaluation component within Kenya’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which replaced the extensive 8-4-4 system. Unlike the previous curriculum, which relied heavily on summative examinations to rank students and schools, the CBC focuses on the continuous development of specific competencies and skills.
Assessment in this framework is designed to be formative and criterion-referenced. This means learners are evaluated on their ability to perform specific tasks and demonstrate knowledge against set standards, rather than being compared to peers via a singular aggregate mark. The removal of mean scores and ranking is intended to eliminate unhealthy competition and promote a holistic approach to education.
