Schools across Kenya will close this week as attention shifts to national exams and assessments. The 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam is set to commence on October 22 and run until November 22.
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), part of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), will occur from October 28 to November 1.
This year, 965,501 candidates are registered for the KCSE, which will be conducted at 10,755 centers. On the other hand, 1,303,913 pupils will sit for the KPSEA in 35,573 locations nationwide. President William Ruto confirmed that preparations for both examinations are finalized, including appointing supervisors and invigilators.
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He emphasized that both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Interior are tasked with ensuring the security and integrity of the exams remain uncompromised.
President Ruto and key education officials, such as Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, and Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) CEO David Njengere, oversaw the final preparations.
Over two million students will participate in these assessments, supported by 246,151 field officers, including center managers, invigilators, supervisors, security personnel, and drivers. Additionally, 32,480 examiners have been contracted to mark the exams between November and December.
In a significant move to prevent exam malpractice, supervisors and invigilators will rotate between schools. For the first time, students will receive personalized question papers featuring their names and index numbers.
KNEC has also implemented strict rules, including mobile phone restrictions for exam officials and a requirement to declare any conflicts of interest.
This year's KPSEA marks a pivotal change in Kenya’s education system as it replaces the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) after 39 years.
Education CS Julius Ogamba highlighted that KPSEA, with its competency-based approach, aims to provide a more holistic and relaxed assessment environment, helping students transition smoothly to Junior Secondary School.
