• The tests to be conducted include KCPE and KCSE for the class of 2021 to be conducted between March and April 2022.
•The second set of exams will be conducted in December and will involve KCPE, KCSE class of 2022 and the final assessment for the pioneer class of the new curriculum.
Image: FILE
The examination reforms adopted in 2016 to curb cheating in KCPE and KCSE will be put to test next year as five national examinations take place.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha on Wednesday said the reforms have successfully ensured transparency in national examinations in the last five years.
However, he raised concern that the 2022 examinations will act as a litmus test on the reform's ability to stand adversity.
The tests include KCPE and KCSE for the 2021 class between March and April 2022.
The second set of exams will be conducted in December and will involve KCPE, KCSE class of 2022 and the final assessment for the pioneer class of the new curriculum who will be completing Grade 6.
The revised academic calendar released in 2019 spells that the 2021 KCPE exams be written between March 7 and March 10 while KCSE will be conducted between March 11 to April 1.
Those currently in Std 7 and Form Three will sit their KCPE, KCSE examinations between November and December 2022.
KCPE will run between November 28 and December 1 while KCSE will be done from December 1 to December 23.
“This coming year shall test whether the transformation we have done at Kenya National Examination Council is sustainable or not,” he said on Monday while launching KNEC’s strategic framework 2021-2026.
“Instead of having the two normal exams (KCPE and KCSE), we are going to have five examinations.”
“Hopefully the examinations will be ready by February of 2022,” Magoha said.
The CS warned those involved in the examination management over possible malice that could lead to irregularities.
During the same period, primary schools will administer the national assessment for the pioneer cohort of the Competency-based curriculum.
Examination fees
Magoha said the government will continue paying for the cost of national examination registration under the CBC.
He spoke during the launch of the Kenya National Examination Council strategic framework 2022-2027, Magoha said the registration fee as it has been since 2016 will continue being paid by the government.
He said this is to ensure fair-play among learners from both poor and rich families.
“Any child in public or private school is catered for when it comes to paying the exam registration fee, ” Magoha said.
In 2016, Ministry of Education announced a waiver on examination fees for all FormFour and Std 8 candidates in public schools expected to sit for their national examinations.
In the following year, KNEC extended the waiver to include those in private schools.
The then Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said this was in line with the Jubilee government’s commitment to ensure that every candidate sits for their exams.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris