KNEC- Several Schools yet to register Learners for KPSEA Exams as deadline nears

The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has requested primary schools to finalize the registration of Grade 6 students by February 28 for the forthcoming Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA).

As stated by KNEC, a student must first be registered in the Grade 6 portal to receive an assessment number before being registered for KPSEA. Although learners were assigned an assessment number while in Grade 3, KNEC is initiating a new registration process to ensure the accuracy of candidates’ biographical data.

The assessment number, which serves as a unique identifier, will be used to complete the KPSEA registration. Registration for these learners began on January 27, 2025, and headteachers were instructed to ensure that the candidates’ biographical data is accurately reflected during the registration process.

KNEC emphasized the importance of correcting specific details before finishing the KPSEA 2025 registration, which include:

1) Gender
2) Year of Birth
3) Citizenship
4) Registered religious education (IRE, CRE)
5) Categories of special needs and disabilities, if applicable
6) Correct spelling and order of the learners’ names as stated on their birth certificates.

KNEC warned schools against registering fictitious candidates, as this could result in the school’s deregistration as a KNEC assessment center.

“Candidates presented for the assessment must be qualified learners from the respective institutions. Registering ghost candidates is considered assessment malpractice, which may lead to sanctions, including deregistration of the school as a KNEC assessment center,” noted KNEC CEO David Njengere in a notice to all headteachers.

Once the registration process is completed, schools will download a KPSEA nominal roll. The Grade 6 learners will undertake their KPSEA from October 26 to October 30, 2025. Last year, 1,303,913 candidates were registered and participated in the KPSEA across 35,573 assessment centers.

The assessment included five subjects: Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Integrated Science, and Social Studies, as well as Creative Arts, however, it did not feature creative writing components like English Composition or Kiswahili Insha, which were part of the previous KCPE assessments.

Additionally, KNEC has launched the Competency Based Assessment (CBA) portal for the registration of Grade 3 learners. These learners will undertake their first national assessment, termed the Kenya Early Year Assessment (KEYA), beginning next term.

KEYA will include practical activities during the second term and written assessments during the third term.