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The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has released the official grading and placement structure for the 2025 Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA). This new framework will steer the transition of Grade 9 learners into Grade 10 when the next academic year begins in January 2026.
KJSEA Grading System
The pioneer CBC cohort has already selected their preferred senior schools, subject combinations for Grade 10, and their intended academic pathways. With the release of the KJSEA 2025 results, performance in this national assessment will now play a central role in determining each student’s senior school placement in December.
KJSEA 2025: 8-Level Achievement Grading System
The assessment uses an eight-tier grading structure designed to capture a learner’s performance more accurately. Each level corresponds to a specific point value:
Exceeding Expectations
- EE1 (Level 8): 90–100% → 8 points (Exceptional)
- EE2 (Level 7): 75–89% → 7 points (Very Good)
Meeting Expectations
- ME1 (Level 6): 58–74% → 6 points (Good)
- ME2 (Level 5): 41–57% → 5 points (Fair)
Approaching Expectations
- AE1 (Level 4): 31–40% → 4 points (Needs Improvement)
- AE2 (Level 3): 21–30% → 3 points (Below Average)
Below Expectations
- BE1 (Level 2): 11–20% → 2 points (Well Below Average)
- BE2 (Level 1): 1–10% → 1 point (Minimal)
A notable feature of this system is that no learner receives zero points. Even the lowest performers are awarded a minimum of one point, ensuring every student’s effort is recognized.
KJSEA 2025 Achievement Levels Table: KJSEA 2025 Grading System
| Category | Code (Level) | Score Range (%) | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exceeding Expectations | EE1 (Level 8) | 90–100% | 8 points | Exceptional |
| EE2 (Level 7) | 75–89% | 7 points | Very Good | |
| Meeting Expectations | ME1 (Level 6) | 58–74% | 6 points | Good |
| ME2 (Level 5) | 41–57% | 5 points | Fair | |
| Approaching Expectations | AE1 (Level 4) | 31–40% | 4 points | Needs Improvement |
| AE2 (Level 3) | 21–30% | 3 points | Below Average | |
| Below Expectations | BE1 (Level 2) | 11–20% | 2 points | Well Below Average |
| BE2 (Level 1) | 1–10% | 1 point | Minimal |
How Final Placement to Senior Secondary Is Determined
Placement into senior secondary schools—whether National (C1), Extra County (C2), County (C3), or Sub-County (C4)—will be merit-based and calculated from a weighted combination of three key assessments:
- KJSEA (Grade 9 National Assessment) – 60%
- School-Based Assessments (SBA) for Grades 7 & 8 – 20%
- KPSEA (Grade 6 Assessment) – 20%
Example Calculation
A learner who scores:
- 40 points in KJSEA,
- 15 points in SBA, and
- 10 points in KPSEA,
achieves a final score of 65%, which corresponds to ME1 (Meeting Expectations 1).
Higher overall scores greatly improve a learner’s chances of joining top-tier schools, especially national schools.
School Pathways and What Learners Will Join
Senior secondary schools will either be:
- Triple pathway institutions offering all three CBC pathways, or
- Double pathway schools, such as STEM + Arts & Sports (STEAMS) or STEM + Social Sciences (STEMS).
This setup ensures learners are placed in schools that align with their interests, abilities, and career aspirations
No Certificates – Only Result Slips
Unlike the phased-out KCPE system, Grade 9 learners will not receive certificates. Instead, the Ministry of Education confirmed that students will be issued official result slips showing their subject-level performance.
Betty is a qualified teacher with a Bachelor of Education (Arts). In addition, she is a registered Certified Public Accountant. She has been teaching and offering part-time accounting services for the last 10 years. She is passionate about education, accounting, writing, and traveling.