The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has listed the factors that will influence the placement of learners into Grade 10.
Speaking during the 2nd Annual Symposium on Competency Based Assessment (CBA) on April 23, Deputy Director of Education, Directorate of Secondary/Senior School, Dr. Fred Odhiambo, said the placement will be based on learners’ choice, including pathways, tracks, subject combinations and schools.
Odhiambo said Senior Schools will be categorized based on pathways (triple and double pathways), accommodation (day and hybrid senior schools), Gender (single sex and mixed sex) and special needs (special needs senior schools and vocational senior schools).
He explained that the students will choose 12 schools based on the pathways.
Out of this, 9 will be boarding schools; 3 from the learners’ home county and 6 from outside their home county/county of residence.
Three schools will be day schools in their home sub-county or sub-county of residence.
Four schools will be selected for the first-choice track and subject combination, four for the second-choice combination, and four for the third-choice combination.
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KNEC Lists Other Factors
Additionally, Odhiambo said the placement will be based on learners’ academic performance in Grade 9 assessment.
Another factor is the psychometric tests like learner aptitude, interest, and talent identification done by the Commission and the schools.
He also said there will be regional balancing to ensure fair access for all learners.
School capacity, availability of space and resources in respective schools applied for is also another factor.
“There must be continuous investment in the design, piloting, and standardization of these alternative assessment tools. Institutions like KNEC, KISE, and teacher training colleges have a shared responsibility. KNEC must lead the development and validation of inclusive assessment frameworks and tools that can be adopted nationally,” Dr. Rachel Kang’ethe, Senior Lecturer at Kenyatta University, said at the same event.
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Learners to Provide Information
In January, KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njeng’ere said the Commission developed and uploaded sample papers of the Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and uploaded them on the KNEC CBA portal.
Njengere said the Grade 10 placement will be guided by information obtained from the students directly.
He said candidates will provide information through the online questionnaires to get feedback on their interests and personality.
“KNEC will also be sending an online questionnaire to the candidates of the KJSEA through the schools to elicit feedback on their interest and preference which will form crucial information that the Ministry of Education will use to guide in their placement in senior secondary schools,” he said.
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