Grade 3 pupils not to sit for national exams, KNEC clarifies

Just a week ago, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) announced that school heads should to start enrolling Grade Three pupils for what is known as Kenya Early Years Assessment (KEYA) under the new curriculum.

READ ALSO: Grade Three National Exams to Commence This Year

Education CS George Magoha has now clarified there would be no national exams at Grade Three, rather it will be an assessment. Addressing senators in Naivasha on Wednesday, July 3, he said the pupils will sit the national exams at the end of Grade Nine and Grade 12 in line with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).

“There are certain ambiguities and I want to correct them with finality. As government, we have decided there will be an examination after Year Nine (Grade Nine) and Year 12 (Grade 12),” the CS said.

Magoha said considerations were ongoing on whether or not pupils will still sit the end of primary education exams, Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in the 8-4-4 system that is being discontinued.

Magoha also said that the decision on the final outcome of KCPE will be communicated by April 2020. In 2019, KNEC had indicated Grade Three learners will sit for KEYA, which is comprised of three papers; English, Mathematics and an Integrated Paper. The Integrated Paper will be comprised of Kiswahili, environmental activities, movement activities, creative activities, religious activities, and hygiene and nutrition activities.

Those pupils with special needs in Education category will also sit for three papers; communication, social and pre-literacy skills, religious education, and integrated learning areas. According to CEO Mercy Karogo, adaptive assessment tools will be provided for learners with visual impairment, hearing impairment and physical disability.

“The KEYA assessment tools shall be distributed to all the curriculum support officers, who shall coordinate with the head teachers in their respective zones to administer the assessment in September,” said Karogo. Karogo also said that assessment center had already been established and that KNEC has been conducting various formative national assessments.

Concluding, the council made it clear that the first national assessment under the CBC will not be ranked. “As has been the case with national assessments, the outcomes of KEYA shall be compiled into a report, which shall provide a feedback at the national level,” Karogo said.