The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) is set to retool examiners for Junior Secondary Schools, building confidence among teachers following the clearly spelt-out roles of invigilators and examiners in the Grade 9 assessments. This was announced as part of the preparations underway for the pilot exam of the KJSEA scheduled between July 15 and 19, 2024.
Addressing Teacher Concerns and Retooling Examiners
Reacting to an outcry from the teaching fraternity following reports that some examiners had not been invited for KNEC’s pilot study on Grade 9 exams, KNEC disclosed that some examiners had already been invited to take part in the KJSEA pilot study. Previous reports indicated a wider retooling of examiners for JSS.
“We will soon embark on the retooling of examiners for Junior Secondary, and some have already been invited for the purpose of KJSEA pilot, KNEC stated”.
KNEC has asked teachers to patiently wait through the rollouts of assessments against the backdrop of an already developed exhaustive database of 42,000 examiners to help in this exercise.
“They are advised to be patient as we roll out the assessments. We have already established a database of 42,000 examiners,” reiterated the council.
Revised Assessment Schedule and Future Pathways
Early this year, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) rescheduled the KJSEA and Kenya Prevocational Level Education (KPLEA) assessments from July 1 5 2024, to July 15 19 2024 in order to adequately prepare for the exams.
The current Grade 9 students are undergoing preparation for their exams next year. Upon completion of these assessments they will progress to Grade 10 in Senior Schools under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) commencing in 2026.
During their tenure in Senior Schools students will have the option to choose from three pathways;
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); This pathway focuses on equipping students for careers in technological domains.
- Social Sciences (Humanities); This stream covers subjects related to sciences. Readies students for professions like law, sociology and history.
- Performing Arts; This pathway encompasses music, sports activities and other artistic disciplines tailored for students with talents in these areas.
This educational approach aims to offer learning experiences within the curriculum framework. It aligns with government initiatives aimed at providing students, with customized opportunities that suit their interests and future career goals.