Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba has announced the release of assessment results for Kenya’s first group of Competency Based Education (CBE) learners completing Junior School.
Speaking at New Mitihani House in Nairobi on December 11, 2025, CS Ogamba noted that CBE was introduced in 2017 to replace the 8-4-4 system.
The Education CS said assessment of learners at Grade 9 shall comprise 20% from the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), 20% from School Based Assessment in Grades 7 and 8 and 60% performance in Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) exams.
The new framework follows a 2-6-3-3 structure and aims to develop skills, values, and attitudes needed for modern challenges.
KJSEA evaluates learners’ competencies to guide their placement into Senior School pathways: STEM, Social Sciences, or Arts & Sports Science. The assessment combines written exams with practical projects.
A total of 1,130,459 learners sat the 2025 KJSEA, 578,630 males (51.19%) and 551,829 females (48.81%). Nairobi, Kakamega, and Nakuru registered the highest numbers. Mombasa achieved perfect gender balance.
Most learners (56.84%) were within the appropriate age range of 14-15 years. Underage learners comprised 3.12%, while over-age learners made up 40.04%.
Seventy-five percent of learners achieved Approaching Expectations or higher across all subjects. Seven subjects showed strong performance with over 50% meeting or exceeding expectations: Hindu Religious Education (84.62%), Integrated Science (61.77%), Social Studies (58.56%), Creative Arts and Sports (58.04%), Kiswahili (57.98%), Christian Religious Education (53.96%), and Agriculture (52.26%).
Female learners outperformed males in ten of twelve subjects, with the largest gaps in Kiswahili, CRE, English, and Social Studies.
However, Mathematics (32.44%) and Kenyan Sign Language (22.14%) showed concerning low achievement rates.
Based on performance, 59.09% of learners demonstrated potential for the STEM pathway, 46.52% for Social Sciences, and 48.73% for Arts and Sports.
Grade 9 assessment comprises 20% from primary school assessment, 20% from school-based evaluation in Grades 7-8, and 60% from KJSEA.
The 9,540 Senior Schools have capacity for 2.2 million learners, more than sufficient for all graduates.
Placement begins next week and concludes by December 20, 2025, with learners reporting to Senior Schools from January 12, 2026. The government will provide capitation of Ksh. 22,244 per learner annually, with no changes to existing boarding or other fees.
CS Ogamba thanked education officials, examination personnel, and stakeholders for maintaining assessment integrity despite challenges including heavy rains, impassable roads, and a landslide in Elgeyo Marakwet.
