A total of 51,906 candidates will write the national examination and assessments in Nyeri County this year.
The number includes 26,438 males and 25,968 females who will sit the exams in over 237 examination centres spread across the county.
According to Nyeri County Director of Education John Thiringi, 20,313 candidates will write the Kenya Certificate of Education (KCSE). Out of this number, 10,055 are male candidates, while 10,258 are female candidates.
This number is 199 less than the 20,432 who sat their KCSE in 2024. Similarly, the county has also registered a reduction in the number of private candidates who will sit for the national examinations, where 537 private candidates have registered for the KCSE. Last year, the county had 617 private candidates undertaking the exams.
“The number of candidates is slightly lower than last year but in terms of gender balance, we shall have almost equal numbers of males and females writing this year’s KCSE,” said Thiringi.
The exam will begin on October 21 when the candidates will tackle the elective papers in French, German, Kenya Sign Language (practical skills), Arabic, Music and Home Science.
The common papers are set to commence on November 3 with English functional and Chemistry Paper 1, and will end November 21 when the candidates will work on the Physics practical.
Thiringi informed KNA that the Ministry had also put in place all the necessary measures to ensure a smooth administration of the three national assessments under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
“This is the time we involve all the stakeholders. We will have the Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment for the learners with special needs, Grade 6 who are going to do their assessment and Grade 9 are going to do formative evaluation in preparation for placement in senior school,” he said.
Under Kenya Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA), the county will assess 77 candidates who include 28 girls and 49 boys. Another 15,163 Grade 6 learners in the county are expected to write their Kenya Primary School Education (KPSEA) to facilitate their transition to Junior Secondary School. The number comprises 7,683 boys and 7,480 girls.
Their assessment will begin on October 27 with Mathematics and English and end on October 24th when they will tackle the Creative and Social studies paper.
Thiringi said that 15,816 Grade 9 learners who will form the first cohort to join Senior School will undertake the summative national assessment, Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) in Nyeri.
The exam, which will be administered for the first time, will cover languages, mathematics and science, humanities and social sciences and applied and creative subjects.
The assessment will commence on October 27 and end on November 3.
Early this month, Central Region Director of Education Sabina Aroni assured parents that the Government is fully prepared to ensure there would be a smooth transition to Grade 10 for learners sitting for this year’s KJSEA.
She said all measures needed in ensuring there is a smooth transition for the learners had been put in place and therefore parents need not worry.
Aroni, who was addressing pupils at Tetu Girls Boarding Primary School, also assured learners sitting for the other assessments tests including KCSE that there would be no co-curricular activities in all schools to avoid unnecessary interruptions during the exam period.
“Many people are wondering about Grade 10 (transition) but we are saying the Government has prepared adequately. The schools are submitting the enrollment. We have collected the enrollment of Grade 9 and the subject combination of Grade 10 has also been collected from the Senior Schools so that textbooks can be distributed before learners join Grade 10 next year,” she remarked.
A total of 1.2 million Grade 9 learners across the country will be sitting for KJSEA examinations between October 27 and November 6 this year.
The candidates are going to form the first batch of learners under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) to transition to Senior Secondary School next year.
Aroni also took time to encourage candidates who would be taking the assessment papers to prepare properly for the tests but cautioned them against panicking over the same.
She said, unlike in the now-defunct 8-4-4 system, where passing exams was highly prized, the current system leans towards individual competency.
“Our communication to you is that the Government, through the established mechanisms, has planned to do everything for you so that the assessment is carried out in the manner that will be beneficial to you as you prepare for your future. To those who will be taking the assessment, you are well prepared and you are encouraged not to fear because the assessment is only to prepare you to move to the next Grade.
The Government changed the curriculum so that we stop competing with one another and we stop competing with other institutions that learners can compete with themselves and become the better versions of themselves academically,” she assured the pupils.
By Wangari Mwangi and Samuel Maina
