The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has announced that Grade 9 exams will be introduced in selected schools come June 2024.

The decision was unveiled on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 during the Inaugural Annual Symposium on Competency-Based Assessment at the College of Insurance in Nairobi’s South C, as part of the council’s preparations for summative assessment at Grade 9.

“We are in the process of developing tools for a pilot that will take place in sampled schools this June,” stated KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere, emphasizing the importance of this new assessment milestone.

Njengere further highlighted that sample papers would be distributed by October to familiarize Junior School learners with the assessment format at Grade 9. This move aligns with the council’s shift towards continuous assessments to nurture each learner’s potential, as recommended by a 2012 task force aiming to revamp KNEC’s assessment approach.

Following the Grade 9 national exams, students will progress to senior school for Grades 10, 11, and 12 studies, where they will have the freedom to choose their career path from various categories. This transformative shift aims to empower students to pursue their academic and professional aspirations effectively.